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norriton 
Presbyterian  Church 


MONTGOMERY  COUNTY,  PENNA. 

Regarded  as  the  Oldest   Church  in   Pennsylvania,  claiming 
connection  with  the  great  Protestant  Reformation. 

INCLUDING 

HISTORICAL  GLEANINGS 

Pertaining  to  the  Early  Settlers  and  Representatives  of  the 

several  Religious  Denominations,  especially  of 

Eastern  Pennsylvania. 

•  By  rev.  CHARLES  COLLINS, 

Member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  North. 


"  Remember  the  days  of  old  ;  consider  the  years  of  many  generations.    Ask 
thy  father,  and  he  will  shew  thee;  thy  elders,  and  they  will  tell  thee." 

— Dt'utt  ronoDiy  xxxii,  7. 


The  old  stone  meeting-house  still  stands 
Where  ate  the  men,  whose  toiling  hands 
Reared  these  firm  walls,  and  built  this  place? 
They've  pass'd  from  earth— no  mind  can  trace. 

Two  hundred  years  the  winds  have  swept 
O'er  graves  ot  those,  once  loved,  long  wept ; 
Some  few  inscribed,  some  without  name, 
But  "  dust  to  dust  "—all  marked  the  same. 


COA\PILED   FOR  THE    MONTGOMERY  COUNTY   HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 


Special  Edition,  Limited.      Published  by  the  Author. 


HERALD  PRINTING  ESTABLISHMENT 

NORRISTOWN,  PA. 

1895 


I 


f^^ssimsmum 


FROM   THE  LIBRARY  OF 
REV.   LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON.   D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED   BY   HIM   TO 

THE   LIBRARY  OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


DlTiaM      SC^d 


y^W'i  OF  PHlf^G^ 
(^  JAN  20  1932  "^ 

NORRITON  ^^^^&^ 

Presbyterian  Church 

MONTGOMERY  COUNTY,  PENNA. 

Regarded  as  the  Oldest   Church  in   Pennsylvania,  claiming 
connection  with  the  great  Protestant  Reformation. 

INCLUDING 

HISTORICAL  GLEANINGS 

Pertaining  to  the  Early  Settlers  and  Representatives  of  the 

several  Religious  Denominations,  especially  of 

Eastern   Pennsylvania. 

By  rev.  CHARLES  COLLINS, 

Member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  North. 


"  Remember  the  days  of  old  ;  consider  the  years  of  many  generations.    Ask 
tby  father,  and  he  will  shew  thee;  thy  elders,  and  they  will  tell  thee." 

— Deuteronomy  xxxii,  7. 


The  old  stone  meeting-house  still  stands 
Where  aie  the  men,  whose  toiling  hands 
Reared  these  firm  walls,  and  built  this  place? 
They've  pass'd  from  earth — no  mind  can  trace. 

Two  hundred  years  the  winds  have  swept 
O'er  graves  ot  those,  once  loved,  long  wept; 
Some  few  inscribed,  some  without  name, 
But  "  dust  to  dust  " — all  mark*  the  same. 


COMPILED   FOR  THE    MONTGOMERY  COUNTY   HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


Special  Edition,  Limited.      Published  by  the  Author. 


HERALD  PRINTING  ESTABLISHMENT 

NORRISTOWN,  PA. 

1895 


CONTENTS. 


T    .        1                             ,  PAGE 

Introductory  words  ....             I 

The  church  records  lost 2 

The  first  landing  of  Hollanders 2 

The  discovery  of  the  .Schuylkill  river 3 

The  arrival  of  the  Sv  edes,  1637,  and  of  English  and  Welsh  settlers    .    .  3,  4 

Names  of  a  few  of  the  first  American-Holland  churches 4 

Early  Germans  settling  in  Pennsylvania 4 

A  reference  to  the  foreign  emigration  to  Pennsylvania,  from  1620  to  1742  .  4,  5 

Settlements  of  Friends,  or  Quakers,  1680-1700 c 

The  Hollanders,  place  of  worship  1660  ;  the  land  from  the  Indians  ...  5 
Wm.  Penn's  deed  of  sale  to  \Vm.  Penn,  Jr.,  dated  October  2,  1704  .  ...  5 
A  change  of  land  owners,  1700-1715.  Hollanders,  Germans  and  Scotch-Irish  6 
A  reference  to  the  principles  of  these  devoted  Protestant  Christians  .  ...  6,7 
They  were  Presbyterian  in  faith,  and  imbued  with  Calvin's  teachings  ...  7 
The  founding  of  the  Presbyterian  (Holland)  church  in  Pennsylvania,  1670  8 
Persecution,  imprisonment  and  banishment  were  the  dreadful  factors  ...  8 
Arriving  in  United  States,  they  were  scattered  along  the  coast  from  Mass- 
achusetts, south  to  Georgia , o 

A  reference  to  Rev.   Francis   Mackemie  at  Rehoboth,  Md.,  1683  ;     Snow 

Hill,  Md.;    Duck  Creek,  Christiana  and  New  Castle,  Del.  ...  9 
Some  Hollanders  in   Philadelphia,  in   1662.     The  Hollanders,  Scotch  and 

Welsh,  combine  with  \\  m.  Penn  to  purchase  New  Jersey  ....  10 

Interesting  notes  as  to  the  pioneer  religious  settlers  in  eastern  Penna.,  1671,  10 
The  Hollanders  settle  in  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  at  North  and  South  Hampton  ; 

also  Germantown U 

Rev.  Paulos  Van  Vleck  preaches  at  Neshaminy  and   Bensalem,  in   Pucks 

county;     also  at  Germantown  and  Norriton,  1705-10.    ...  11 
The  above  statement  confirmed  by  the  late  Rev.  Abram.  O.  Halsey  ,    .  12 
A  direct  reference,  and  description  of  the  old  Norriton  church,  as  it  appear- 
ed about  sixty  years  ago r^ 

Names  of  the  pastors  50  )ears  ago,  the  Sunday  singing  school,  and  the 

grave-yard  as  it  then  appeared 14 

Church  building  repaired,  1844;    some  of  the  broken  memorial  stones  dis- 
appear         ...  15 

The  oldest  gravestones  had  Holland  names 15 

An  imaginary  picture,  or  description,  of  the  original  place  of  worship.     Hol- 
landers, the  original  members 16 

Names  of  some  found  upon  tomb  stones,  dating  prior  to  the  Revolution  .    .  17 
Names  discovered  by  the  writer  in  1835  and  since,  most  of  them  m  a  fair 

state  of  preservation Ij; 

Norriton,  the  mother  of  all  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  Pennsylvania  .    .  19 
Church  extension  in  the  Presbyterian  denomination  may  be  traced  to  the  old 

Norriton  in  1730 lo 

Subsequently  the  two  churches  were  united,  as  the  "Ncrriton  and  Providence,"  19 

A  statement  as  to  the  antiquated  appearance  of  the  old  building  in  1775  .    .  20 

The  original  building  was  of  logs 21 

An  extract  of  an  historical  sermon  by  the  writer,  in  July,  1876;    description 

of  the  ancient  log  church  and  its  surroundings 21-23 

A  brief  extract  from  Rev.  Dr.  Thos.  Murphy's  book,  <'The  Log  College"  .  23,  24 
Names  of  the  preachers  who  labored  at  Norriton  and  Providence  churches, 

1714-1894 , 24 

Noted  revivals  of  religion  at  Norriton  :     Rev.  Wm.  Tennent,  pastor,  1726; 
Rev.  John  Tennent,  of  Freehold,  N.  J.:    also,  a  memorable  awaken- 
ing, under  Rev.  John  Rowland,  1739-40,  laboring  as  a  licentiate  .  25 
Rev.  John  Rowland's  ordination,  1 741,  and  pastor  of  Lower  Providence  and 

Charlestown  Presbyterian  churches  in  1742 25   26 


...  .  PAGE 

An   historical   division    in   the    Presbyterian    denomination    follows.       This 

schism  separates  tlie  Norriton  and  Providence  churches  ....  26 

Rev.  John    Rowland's  narrative,  written   in    1744,  one  hundred   and   fifty 
years  ago.      He  refers  to  the  Providence  congregation  ;    then  alludes 

to  a  revival  of  religion  in  their  midst 27,  28 

A  remarkalile  event  in  the  history  of  the  Rev.  John  Rowland,  and  his  prov- 
idential deliverance.      He  was  arrested  as  a  horse  thief.     His  death 

in  1747 29,  30 

Rev.  fohn  Campbell  installed  in  1753 30 

Reunion  ol  the   Presbyterian  denomination  took  place  in  1 758.      The  two 

churches,  Providence  and  Norriton,  amica!)ly  united  again  ....  31 
Rev.  Wra.  Tennent  liecame  pastor  in  17S2,  and  continued  until  lSl2  ...  31 
The  Kno.x  family.     Reminiscences  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Knox,  as  gathered  by 

the  writer.      Her  memory  of  Rev.  Dr.   Tennent .  31,  32 

Will.  McGIathery,  leader  of  the  singing  in  the  Norriton  church ^^,  34 

The  old  church  used  as  a  hospital  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  1777. 

Gen.  Washington  visits  the  church 34 

The  Assembly  passed  an  Act  in  17S5  to  pay  for  repairs  to  the  church  ...         34 
Mention  of  Rev.  Geo.  Whitefield,  1743;     Rev.  David  Evans,  1713;     Rev. 
Will.  Tennent,  Rev.  Richard  Treat,  and  Rev.  Nathaniel  Irwin ;  also 
David  Rittenhouse  and  Benjamin  Franklin  at  the  Norriton  church  .  34,  35 
Matthias  Kittenhouse  conveys  a  small  piece  of  land  to  "ye  said  Norrington 

Presliyterian  Meeting-house,"  in  1737.     An  extract  from  the  deed  .         35 
David  Rittenhouse,  the  astronomer.      Historical  sketch  ;    reminiscences  per- 
taining to  his  earlier  years,  and  the  Norriton  farm 36-39 

The  Armstrong  family;     among  the  earliest  settlers  of  Norriton  ;    an  inter- 
esting history 38-40 

The  Thompson  family ;  at  Norriton,  and  in  other  parts  of  Montgomery  county,       41 
The  Norris  family  ;  descendants  of  Thomas  Norris,  of  London.     Isaac  Nor- 
ris,  founder  of  the  township,  Norriton.     The  old  homestead  on  the 

Schuylkill  river,  known  as  Norris  Hall 42,  43 

Archibald  Thompson  becomes  proprietor  of  a  property,  the  Norris  farm- 
house, later  tiie  Jeffersonville  Inn.     Items  concerning  the  Thompsons       44 
*Col.  [ohn    iJull  ]iurchases  543  acres  from  Charles  Norris,  September  17, 
1777.     Col.  Bull  sold  the  plantation  just  named  to  Dr.  Wm.  Smith, 

provost  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  I  779 45 

Norristown  laid  out  upon  part  of  this  land  in  1784 45 

The  Knox  family,  and  some  of  the  descendants 45 

The  McCrea  family,  formerly  of  Norriton 45 

John  Patterson  ;  some  items  of  history  ;  also  Robert  Hamill 46 

The  Porter  family.      Robert  Porter,  arriving  1720;    Gen.  Andrew  Porter ; 

later,  David  R.  Porter,  Gen.  James  M.  Porter,  etc 47 

Judge  Thomas  Burnside,  and  Francis  Burnside,  of  Norriton 47 

Daniel  Evans,  an  early  settler  in  Norriton        47 

lohn  Baker  and  his  descendants;  other  worthy  names  mentioned    ....  47>  48 

Norriton  church  building  repaired  in  1893 ...         48 

Norriton,  Providence  and  Jeffersonville  churches,  referred  to  as  bearing  a 

close  relationship 49 

The  New  and  Old  School  division  in  1837 ;    resulting  in  a  division  in  the 

Providence  church  in  1843 49 

The  Jeffersonville  church  organized  in  October,  1843;    its  members  with- 
drawing from  the  Providence  church $0 

The  Centennial  Presbyterian  Church,  of  Jeffersonville,  built  upon  a  new 

site,  1875-6 So.  5» 

Interesting   Revolutionary  facts  associated  with  the  new  Centennial  church 

ground 5I>52 

Presbyterianism  dates  back  to  1644;    church  of  Hempstead,  Long  Island  .         52 
Conclusion.     Two  practical  lessons.     A  brief,  retrospective  glance  at  the 

old  church 52-54 

•Ool.  Bull  removed  from  Virginia,  and  died  in  Northumberland  county,  Pa.,  1824. 


NORRITON   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH 

AND    COLLATERAL    GLEANINGS    OF    THE    EARLY    SETTLERS. 

By  Rev.  Charles  Collins, 

Formerly  minister  of  the  Second   Presbyterian  Church,  Norristown,  Pa.,  t86i-'63,  and  later 
pastor  of  the  Centennial  Church,  Jeffersonville,  Pa.,  for  nearly  twenty  years— 1866-'85. 

"Which  we  have  heard  and  known,  and  our  fathers  have  told  us.  .  .  . 
That  the  generations  to  come  might  know  them,  even  the  children  which  should 
be  born,  who  should  arise  and  declare  them  to  their  children." — Psalm  l-xxviii,  3-6. 

Situated  on  the  old  Manatawny  road ;  since  A.  D.  1800,  known  as  the 
Germantown  and  Perkiomen  turnpike  ;  five  miles  north  of  Norristown,  one-third 
of  a  mile  south  of  Fairview  village,  between  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth  mile- 
stones, Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania. 

History  in  any  of  its  phases,  to  the  ordinary  mind,  is  al- 
ways entertaining;  and  history  pertaining  to  one's  country  or 
ancestry  is  always  deeply  interesting ;  while  history  of  a  gen- 
eral character,  whether  compiled  from  actual  facts  or  tradi- 
tional, yet  being  the  result  of  patient  research,  when  carefully 
studied,  is  always  exceedingly  valuable,  thought-stimulating 
and  educational. 

A  natural  desire  rules  largely  among  intelligent  persons 
to  discover  if  possible  something  of  their  antecedents;  hence, 
of  late  years,  the  effort  is  noticeable  and  commendable,  care- 
fully to  collect  all  genealogical  facts,  and  to  encourage  also, 
annual  family  gatherings. 

The  writer,  while  a  school  boy,  became  interested  in  the 
history  of  the  old  Norriton  Presbyterian  Church.  In  the 
providence  of  God,  when  scarcely  twelve  years  of  age,  he  be- 
gan to  spend  the  summer  months,  residing  adjacent  to  this  old 
building,  and  being  naturally  fond  of  the  antiquated,  took  hold 
with  interest  to  inquire  into  the  history  of  the  past.  Although 
born  in  Philadelphia,  yet  a  great  portion  of  his  life  has  been 
spent  in  close  proximity  to  the  church  and  grave  yard  of  the 
church  in  question.     Herewith  he  humbly  presents  the  result 


of  his  patient  investigation,  to  which,  for  nearly  sixty  years,  at 
intervals,  he  has  cheerfully  devoted  time  and  attention. 

With  reference  to  the  written  records  of  the  Norriton 
church,  they  seem  to  have  been  irrecoverably  lost.  Even  if 
such  records  were  kept,  they  were  probably  meagre  and  writ- 
ten at  irregular  intervals. 

Kindly,  yet  earnestly,  may  I  just  here  call  the  attention 
of  all  church  officials  to  see  the  importance  of  carefully  keep- 
ing the  records  of  their  respective  congregations,  including 
the  names  of  all  ministers,  the  membership,  baptisms,  etc.,  and 
also  provide  a  secure  place  for  preserving  the  same. 

About  fifty  years  ago  I  made  diligent  effort  to  inquire 
concerning  the  Norriton  Church  records,  conferring  with  the 
late  Elder  John  Shearer  and  Trustees  Jacob  Custer  and  Fran- 
cis Burnside.  The  reply  was  that  no  records,  either  of  the 
Session  or  Board  of  Trustees,  could  be  found. 

Mr.  Burnside  informed  me,  and  I  have  since  heard  the 
same  report,  that  many  years  ago,  about  i76o-'75,  some  re- 
cords pertaining  to  the  said  congregation  were  found,  written 
in  a  small  blank  book,  among  a  lot  of  old  papers  in  an  upper 
room  of  the  old  Fairview  Inn.  These  records  were  partly 
written  in  German,  presumably  in  low  Dutch,  helping  to  es- 
tablish the  traditional  statement  (to  which  we  shall  refer  later) 
that  the  primitive  gathering,  if  not  organization  of  this  con- 
gregation, was  made  up  of  Hollanders. 

The  discovery  of  the  Hudson  river  was  made  in  1609, 
and  the  founding  of  New  Amsterdam,  now  New  York  city,  in 
1612.  Therefore,  it  is  not  a  matter  of  conjecture  but  a  histor- 
ical fact,  that  many  years  before  William  Penn's  landing  in  the 
United  States,  the  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania  as  well  as  a 
portion  of  New  Jersey  were  preoccupied  by  both  Hollanders 
and  Swedes. 

The  Hollanders,  however,  being  a  more  commercial  peo- 
ple, were  earlier  in  the  field  of  exploration,  and  reached  Amer- 
ica years  before  cither  the  Swedes  or  their  more  inland  kins- 
men, tlie  Germans.  It  is  recorded  that  some  Hollanders 
visited  the   Delaware  or  South  river  in   1598.     Settlements 


were  made  upon  it  in  1623  by  Cornelius  May.  Only  ten 
years  later,  1633,  and  some  of  them  had  settled  along  the 
valley  of  the  Schuylkill. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  existing  name  of  the  river 
"Schuylkill"  was  originally  bestowed  by  the  Dutch,  from  the 
circumstance  of  its  mouth  having  been  concealed  by  several 
wooded  islands,  which  prevented  a  ready  recognition  of  the 
place  where  it  flowed  into  the  Delaware.  Hence,  from  the 
terms  "schuil"  or  "  schuilen,"  signifying  concealed  or  hidden, 
and  "  kill,"  a  channel  stream  or  river,  came  "  Schuilkil,"  a 
hidden  or  concealed  river.  Schuylkill  may  therefore  be  con- 
sidered a  corruption  of  orthograph}'.  Governor  Stuyvesant, 
in  1644,  spoke  of  it  as  the  "  Narsche  Rivierte,"  the  little  fresh 
river. 

The  Schuylkill  was  discovered  in  the  summer  of  16 16  by 
Captain  Hendrickson,  a  Dutchman,  who  entered  its  mouth  in 
the  yacht  Restless.  Twenty  years  later  the  Hollanders  had 
established  themselves  along  the  river  as  traders,  and  dealt 
largely  with  the  Indians  for  beaver  skins  and  tobacco.  At  the 
same  time  they  obtained  liberal  acquisitions  of  land  on  the 
river  and  adjacent  thereto,  for  which  cargoes  of  merchandise 
were  exchanged.  As  an  incident,  it  is  related  that  an  individ- 
ual known  by  the  name  of  Old  Shrunk,  in  1683,  caught  three 
thousand  shad  in  one  night,  and  a  Captain  Smith  six  hundred 
cat  fish  at  one  draught. 

As  to  the  Swedes,  it  is  recorded  that  they  first  entered 
the  Delaware  river  in  1 637-' 38,  under  the  lead  of  Peter  Min- 
uit,  who  had  previously  been  in  the  service  of  the  Holland 
Company.  They  purchased  land  upon  the  west  side  of  the 
Delaware,  from  Cape  Henlopen  to  the  falls  at  Trenton,  and 
westward  of  the  river  for  forty  miles.  Later,  Christina,  after- 
wards called  Wilmington,  was  founded.  Emigrants  continued 
to  arrive.  Mocopanaca,  now  Chester;  Coaquennack,  the  site 
of  the  city  of  Philadelphia ;  Wicaco  and  Kingsessing,  now 
the  southern  part  of  said  city,  became  settlements.  The 
Dutch  were  not  idle,  however,  but  planted  themselves  at  New 
Castle  and  other  points,  scattering  as  far  as  parts  of  Montgom- 


ery  and  Bucks  counties,  tilling  the  land  to  the  best  advantage. 
At  Bensalem,and  near  Churchville,  Bucks  county,  two  churches 
or  worshiping  places  were  established  by  Hollanders  as  early 
as  i670-'75,  and  the  latter  place  was  designated  New  Holland. 

Numbers  of  English  and  Welsh  settlers  also  came  to 
these  parts  previous  to  the  arrival  of  William  Penn ;  for  some 
English  families  quartered  at  Burlington  and  Salem  N.  J.,  in 
1675  ;  and  some  immigrants  at  the  same  time  entered  the 
Schuylkill  to  seek  homes,  but  were  peremptorily  expelled  by 
the  Dutch  and  Swedes,  who  were  jealous  of  any  other  com- 
petitors for  the  existing  trade  along  that  river. 

The  records  of  the  Holland  church  allude  to  churches, 
viz.:  Passaic,  N.  J.,  1693,  Revs.  Berthoff,  Coens,  Du  Bois, 
Van  Driessen;  Holmdel,  N.  J.,  in  Monmouth  county,  1695- 
'99,  Revs.  Wm.  Lupardus,  Antonides,  Freeman,  Morgan;  at 
Smithfield,  Pike  county.  Pa,,  1737,  Rev.  Fayenmoet, 

Of  the  Germans,  while  a  few  scattered  names  were  re- 
ported as  early  as  i64O-'50,  as  emigrants  coming  from  New 
Amsterdam  to  Pennsylvania,  yet  about  the  first  of  their  arrival 
as  a  body  is  the  record  of  some  twenty  families  that  settled  at 
Germantown  in  1683.  They  continued  steadily  to  increase, 
extending  their  settlements  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  principally  to  Hanover  and  Frederick  townships, 
Montgomery  county.  They  took  up  lands  in  the  valley  of 
Perkiomen  in  1700,  extending  later,  about  1720,  to  Norriton 
and  Worcester  townships,  and  between  1730  and  1740  to 
Towamencin  and  Salford  townships,  and  in  1740  going  into 
Berks  and  Lehigh  counties. 

To  classify  and  condense  the  emigration  alluded  to  we 
would  name  the  Dutch  or  Hollanders  as  the  pioneers,  about 
1620;  then  the  arrival  of  the  Swedes,  1637-40;  the  incoming 
of  the  English  Friends  or  Quakers,  i68o-'85:  the  same  years 
the  arrival  of  the  Germans,  including  the  Mennonites,  Dunk- 
ers,  and  the  Swiss  or  Reformed  denomination;  also  the  Luther- 
ans. Of  these  original  settlers  the  Welsh  came  in  large  num- 
bers, having  purchased  of  William  Penn,  before  leaving  Eng- 
land, forty  thousand  acres  in  Merioneth  or  Merion,  said  land 


5 

extending  into  Chester  county,  now  Tredyffiin  township,  Pa. 

Later,  in  1734,  came  the  Schwenkfelders,  arriving  at 
Philadelphia  and  settling  in  Worcester,  Towamencin  and  Sal- 
ford,  Montgomery  county;  and  in  1742  the  arrival  of  those 
who  were  founders  of  the  Moravian  church  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  late  Moses  Auge,  in  his  book,  "  Lives  of  Eminent 
Men,"  alludes  to  Rev.  John  Philip  Boehm  as  arriving  in 
Montgomery  county  in  1720.  Also,  to  Rev.  George  Michael 
Weiss,  from  the  Palatinate  on  the  Rhine,  arriving  about  the 
same  time  and  settling  at  Skippack,  bringing  with  him  four 
hundred  emigrants.  Four  years  after  Mr.  Weiss'  arrival,  fiom 
a  report  made  to  the  Synod  of  Holland,  we  learn  that  there 
were  fifteen  thousand  Reformed  members  holding  to  the  old 
Reformed  Confession  in  America,  chiefly  in  New  York,  New 
Jersey  and  Pennsylvania.  Boehm's  work  points  to  Blue  Bell 
Church  in  this  county,  and  Weiss'  labors  to  Wentz's  church, 
Worcester  township. 

From  another  source  we  find  that  the  meeting  houses  of 
the  English  and  Welsh  Friends  are  nearly  all  marked  by  their 
antiquity.  As  early  as  i68o-'85,  Philadelphia,  Burlington, 
Pemberton,  and  Mount  Holly,  N.  J.;  Gwynedd,  1698;  a  little 
later,  Plymouth,  Horsham,  Oxford,  Abington,  Attleboro, 
Haverford,  Lower  Merion,  in  Montgomery  county,  and  Uvvch- 
lan,  Chester  county;  Welsh  Quakers,  1690;  also,  in  Tredy- 
ffrin  township,  an  old  meeting  house. 

Thus  far  the  writer  has  recited  these  historical  gleanings 
as  preliminary,  and  with  the  view  of  establishing  the  fact  that 
some  Hollanders,  about  i66o-'70,  and  probably  holding  the 
lands  as  squatters,  or  without  legal  title,  first  established  this 
place  of  worship,  subsequently  known,  and  in  later  years 
organized  as  the  "  Norrington  Presbyterian  Meeting  House." 

Notice  the  fact,  that  it  was  not  until  October  2,  1704,  that 
William  Penn,  proprietor  of  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  sold 
to  his  son,  William  Penn,  Jr.,  all  the  lands  comprising  the 
township  of  Norriton,  Montgomery  county. 

We  must  naturally  conclude  that  these  pioneer  Holland- 
ers, and  who    for  forty  or  fifty  years  before,  perhaps,  were 


dwellers  upon  these  lands,  must  have  acquired  their  rights  as 
tenants  from  some  of  the  Indian  tribes,  for  their  main  thor- 
oughfare was  the  Indian  road  called  "  Manatawny." 

Be  this  as  it  may,  later  on,  and  probably  about  i700-'i5, 
there  was  a  noticeable  change.  The  taxable  owners  of  land 
now,  although  comparatively  few  as  yet,  were  found  to  be  of 
Scotch-Irish  blood,  Hollanders  and  Germans,  they  having 
combined  together  to  purchase  the  lands  contiguous  to  the 
old  log  meeting  house,  located  in  the  then  manor  of  WilHam- 
stadt,  in  Philadelphia  county. 

In  1707  another  great  influx  of  Holland  emigrants  began ; 
also  from  Ireland  and  Scotland. 

We  proceed  then  to  say  that  more  than  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago  numbers  of  men  and  women,  representing  fam- 
ily ties,  abandoned  their  homes  and  ventured  across  the  sea, 
seeking  a  peaceful  dwelling  place  upon  these  friendly  shores. 

Almost  without  exception,  Protestant  in  faith,  though  of 
different  nationalities,  yet  one  motive  chiefly  impelled  them,  viz., 
that  they  might  worship  God  according  to  the  teachings  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  dictates  of  an  enlightened  conscience. 

They  loved  the  truth  as  comprised  in  the  Gospel  of 
Christ;  they  gloried  in  the  cross,  and  the  unspeakable  privi- 
lege of  acknowledging  and  honoring  God  by  an  humble  life 
service  of  faith  and  devotion,  far  more  than  the  possession  of 
wealth,  fame,  or  any  earthly  gifts.  Inured  to  hardships  and 
persecutions,  tested  by  severe  trials,  and  having  suffered  more 
or  less  from  fiery  discipline,  they  fled,  not  as  miscreants  or 
criminals,  but  as  peace  makers;  and  so,  being  constrained  by 
conscientious  principles,  were  led  to  these  friendly  shores,  that 
they  might  enjoy  liberty  to  worship  God,  and  by  their  lives 
bless  humanity. 

Mysteriously  providential,  yet  controlled  by  infinite  wis- 
dom, were  the  early  Protestant  Christians  directed  to  this  land. 
Distinctly  may  we  trace  the  hand  of  Jehovah  in  all  their  move- 
ments, and  especially  discover  His  grace,  in  delivering  them 
from  the  yoke  of  oppression,  and  providing  them  an  earthly 
home  where  none  should  molest  or  make  afraid. 


Thus  they  came,  suffering  deprivations  and  tossed  about 
roughly  over  stormy,  wintry  seas.  They  committed  them- 
selves to  God,  asking  for  divine  protection  and  guidance,  and 
after  weary  weeks  they  looked  anxiously  for  the  sight  of  land, 
until  at  last  they  were  cheered  with  the  realization  of  another 
earthly  home,  though  in  a  strange  country. 

So,  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century,  did  the 
Hollanders  come  to  New  York;  a  little  later  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  to  the  rock-bound  coast  of  Massachusetts;  then  fol- 
lowed by  the  Swedes,  the  English  and  Welsh ;  other  colonies 
of  settlers  from  Scotland  and  the  north  of  Ireland  and  Switzer- 
land; they  were  scattered  among  the  hills  and  along  the  rivers 
of  eastern  Pennsylvania  and  states  of  New  Jersey  and  Dela- 
ware. 

But  particularly  of  the  early  Hollanders,  w^ho  were  essen- 
tially Presbyterian  in  doctrine,  together  with  the  Scotch-Irish 
Presbyterians,  we  are  to  speak.  From  these  nationalities  just 
named,  we  as  Presbyterians  feel  honored  in  tracing  our  fore- 
fathers. 

Our  admiration  for  the  w^ell- established  principles  of 
Protestantism  and  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  leads  us  to  point 
to  these  noble,  self-sacrificing  men  and  women,  as  the  faithful 
missionaries  and  hardy  pioneers  to  the  untried  western  world. 

"  Amidst  the  storm  they  sang, 

And  the  stars  heard  and  the  sea, 
And  the  sounding  aisles  of  the  dim  woods  rang 

To  the  anthem  of  the  free. 
The  ocean  eagle  soared 

From  his  nest  by  the  white  waves'  foam, 
And  the  rocking  pines  of  the  forest  roared — 

This  was  their  welcome  home. 

What  sought  they  thus  afar  ? 

Bright  jewels  of  the  mine  ? 
The  wealth  of  seas,  the  spoils  of  war  ? 

They  sought  at  faith's  pure  shrine. 
Aye !  call  it  holy  ground, 

The  soil  where  first  they  trod, 
They  have  left  unstained  what  there  they  found — 

Freedom  to  worship  God." 


8 

It  is  our  purpose  now,  in  a  few  paragraphs,  to  advert  to 
the  founding  and  organization  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  some  reference  to  other  places. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Pennsylvania  was  populated 
very  rapidly,  especially  its  eastern  boundaries. 

The  persecution  of  the  Quakers  under  the  reign  of 
Charles  II.  and  his  successors,  and  the  bitter  intolerance 
manifested  towards  the  Protestants  by  the  Papists,  drove 
thousands  away  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  who  had  formerly 
removed  from  Scotland. 

We  cannot  trace  the  calamities  and  persecutions  which 
continued  through  four  deplorable  reigns.  That  struggle,  and 
the  consequent  scenes  of  blood,  would  of  itself  fill  all  the  pages 
allotted  for  our  paper. 

Suffice  it,  that  history  records  consecutive  years  of  severe 
trials  from  1637  to  1661,  referring  especially  to  the  sufferings 
of  the  Irish  Presbyterians. 

Many  were  treacherously  and  brutally  murdered;  others 
in  large  numbers  were  banished  to  Scotland;  and  many  were 
the  cases  of  unjust  imprisonment  authorized  by  the  Bishop  of 
Down.  Other  thousands  suffered  almost  martyrdom  by  ex- 
cessive fines,  imprisonments  in  dreary  prison  cells,  and  cruel 
whippings,  from  1662  to  1688. 

Such  were  some  of  the  providential  dispensations,  which 
seemed  necessary  to  prepare  our  emigrant  forefathers  for  exile, 
and  probably  to  inspire  them  with  a  deeper  appreciation  for 
the  privileges  of  worship  and  gratitude  to  God,  for  the  strange 
way  that  He  was  pleased  to  lead  them. 

From  this  we  may  infer,  that  during  the  time  of  James 
and  Charles,  the  north  of  Ireland  was  for  a  season  to  the 
Presbyterians  of  Scotland  what  New  England  was  to  the 
Puritans — a  place  of  refuge  from  persecution,  and  deliverance 
from  the  chains  of  oppression. 

Many,  also,  known  as  English  Dissenters,  were  ungener- 
ously dealt  with,  and  after  reaching  New  England  were  recog- 
nized as  Congregationalists. 

As  early  as  1637  the  pious  Rutherford  wrote  to  John 


Stuart,  Provost  of  Ayr,  Scotland,  as  follows :  "  I  would  not 
have  you  think  it  strange  that  your  journey  to  New  England 
has  got  such  a  dash !  Let  me  hear  from  you.  If  I  saw  a  call 
for  New  England  I  would  go." 

In  1641  a  Scotch  minister.  Rev.  Mr.  Castell,  published  a 
book,  commending  a  plan  for  introducing  the  Gospel  into  the 
colonies. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Dunbar,  several  shiploads 
of  Scotch  prisoners  (Presbyterians)  were  sent  to  the  planta- 
tions to  be  sold,  and  of  this  number  many  were  consigned  to 
servitude  beyond  the  Atlantic  ocean. 

From  1645  to  1670,  numbers  of  these  poor  exiles  were 
ruthlessly  scattered  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  from  Massa- 
chusetts south  as  far  as  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  even  to  Geor- 
gia. Others  made  their  way  to  the  British  West  India  islands, 
Barbadoes,  Antigua  and  Jamaica;  also,  St.  Thomas.  In  the 
English  islands  just  named,  Moravian  missions  had  already 
been  established  by  the  Germans,  and  at  St.  Thomas  a  Re- 
formed Dutch  church  (Holland)  was  early  organized. 

Between  1670  and  1684  (the  latter  being  a  year  when 
great  numbers  were  banished  to  these  colonies)  Scottish 
Presbyterians  settled  along  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Eliza- 
beth river,  near  Norfolk,  Va.;  also  along  the  southern  part  of 
the  state  of  Delaware,  including  the  peninsula. 

Rev.  Francis  Mackemie — who  was  settled  and  preached 
as  a  Presbyterian  minister,  1683,  at  Elizabeth  river,  Va.,  living 
at  Rehoboth,  Md.,  same  year,  organized  the  church  at  Snow 
Hill,  Md — wrote  under  date  of  July  28,  1685,  of  one  Rev.  Mr. 
Wardrope,  a  Presbyterian  minister,  as  having  removed  to 
Pennsylvania  to  preach.  There  is  a  tradition  that  Mr.  W. 
preached  occasionally  at  Norriton,  and  that  Rev.  Mackemie 
also  visited  the  place. 

During  the  period  just  referred  to,  which  was  some  thirty 
years  before  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  Hol- 
landers and  Swedes  also  selected  homes,  both  in  Delaware 
and  Pennsylvania.  At  Duck  creek,  close  to  Smyrna,  and  at 
New  Castle  and  Christiana  creek,  they  had  settlements  and 


10 

preaching  places.  The  Hollanders  usually  selected  inland 
residences,  while  the  Swedes  selected  for  their  homes  lands 
along  the  creeks  or  rivers. 

As  early  as  1662  (which  I  gathered  from  an  old  book  in 
the  Philadelphia  library)  was  a  reference  to  one  Dr.  Thomas 
Wynne,  a  medical  practitioner.  He,  together  with  his  brother 
and  other  friends,  all  Hollanders,  was  found  settled  in  Philadel- 
phia. This  was  twenty  years  before  the  landing  of  William  Penn. 

In  1657,  at  New  Amstel  (New  Castle,  Del.),  one  Rev, 
Everardus  Welius  was  appointed  to  preach  in  the  Dutch 
meeting-house,  and  his  successor.  Rev.  W'arnerius  Hadson, 
Avho  was  ordained  in  Holland,  while  on  his  way  to  this  place 
to  preach,  was  lost  at  sea  during  the  voyage  in  1664. 

In  1694  there  are  records  of  a  small  sect  of  German 
Pietists,  occupying  land  near  Germantown.  Twenty  years 
prior,  it  was  reported  that  a  couple  of  families  akin  to  the 
above  were  squatters  at  the  Rising  Sun,  about  two  miles 
southeast  of  Germantown.  The  names  of  the  Germantown 
settlers  of  1694  were  John  Kelpius,  John  Seelig,  Conrad  Mat- 
thias (perhaps  Matthews),  and  a  physician,  Dr.  Christopher 
Witte.  The  latter  returned  to  Germantown,  and  died  there 
in  1765,  living  to  be  over  one  hundred  years  of  age. 

Scotchmen,  Hollanders,  and  some  Welsh,  combined  with 
William  Penn  for  the  purchase  of  New^  Jersey;  and  to-day  the 
large  number  of  Reformed  Dutch  and  Presbyterian  churches 
in  that  state,  some  of  them  organized  over  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  ago,  abundantly  confirm  this  fact. 

Gabriel  Thomas,  writing  from  Pennsylvania  to  London 
in  May,  1695,  alludes  to  "numerous  Low  Dutch  congrega- 
tions and  Presbyterian  settlements  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  as 
early  as  1671."  He  adds:  "  They  are  chiefly  from  Holland; 
a  few  from  England  and  Wales;  and  makes  mention  of  these 
same  people  as  having  places  of  worship  and  settlements,  in 
Delaware  and  Maryland. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  Trcdyffrin  township,  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania,  prior  to  1700,  were  the  PViends,  or 
English  Quakers,  and  Welsh  Presbyterians. 


II 

Dubois,  Newkirk  and  Vanmeter,  and  others,  were  among 
the  early  names  of  the  founders  of  the  Great  Valley  Presby- 
terian Church. 

Especially  in  New  York,  on  Long  Island,  did  the  Hol- 
landers, years  before  the  above  date,  occupy  the  land.  Jama- 
ica, L.  I.,  was  possibly  the  first  settled,  but  at  Newtown,  L.  I., 
is  the  record  of  one  Rev.  Wm.  Leverich,  serving  as  a  Low 
Dutch  preacher  in  165 1,  and  continuing  until  1669, 

In  Bucks  county.  Pa.,  it  is  well  known  that  large  numbers 
of  Hollanders,  Welsh  and  Germans  were  settled  considerably 
before  William  Penn's  arrival.  The  same  is  true  as  to  Mont- 
gomery county,  Pa.  This  fact  is  readily  explained;  that  so 
attractive  a  country  adjacent  to  New  Jersey,  and  on  the  high- 
way to  New  York,  would  naturally  be  sought  after  and  ex- 
plored by  these  emigrants.  And  this  circumstance  is  author- 
itatively published,  that  to  these  parties  Edmond  Andros,  then 
Governor  of  New  York,  granted  letters  patent  for  the  lands, 
and  thus  encouraged  them  in  their  primitive  settlements. 
"Watson's  Annals"  confirms  the  above  statement. 

The  same  Mr.  Watson  refers  to  the  original  Market 
Square  Church,  of  Germantown  (now  Presbyterian),  as  being 
a  Holland  congregation,  under  the  Synod  of  the  Reformed 
church  of  Holland,  and  from  thence  its  first  pastors  were  sent. 
The  first  building  was  of  logs,  date  unknown,  probably  about 
1695. 

Old  records  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  church  confirm  the 
statement,  that  Holland  ministers,  perhaps  coming  from  New 
York  or  northern  New  Jersey,  visited  and  preached  in  North 
and  South  Hampton,  1700  to  17 10;  also  at  Germantown, 
Neshaminy,  Bensalem,  and  other  places  adjacent. 

On  May  20,  17 10,  Paul  VanVleck,  a  Holland  minister, 
was  installed  pastor  of  the  united  churches  of  Germantown, 
Bensalem  and  Neshaminy.  Traditional  reports  allege  that 
this  same  Paulos  VanVleck  was  accustomed  to  preach  at 
Norriton  and  the  Low  Dutch  church  of  Neshaminy  a  few 
years  before,  say  about  1 705-7,  and  questions  arising  concern- 
ing his  credentials  were  referred  to  the  Classis  at  Amsterdam, 


and  subsequently  he  was  fully  recognized  in  the  ministry.  He 
first  appeared  as  a  school  master,  at  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  1702, 
and  sometimes  preached,  but  complaints  were  made  against 
him,  and  he  was  obliged  to  desist. 

It  may,  therefore,  be  reasonably  inferred,  that  a  number 
of  these  Dutch  churches,  both  in  Montgomery  and  Bucks 
counties,  so  far  as  their  origin,  were  contemporary  with  some 
of  the  Holland  churches  of  New  Amsterdam  (New  York)  and 
contiguous  points,  probably  worshiping  in  their  rude  log  houses 
for  a  half  century,  more  or  less,  before  the  organization  of  the 
Neshaminy,  Bensalem  or  Abington  Presbyterian  churches; 
and  likewise  before  the  founding  of  the  renowned  Log  Col- 
lege. 

Let  it  not  be  overlooked,  that  in  New  Amsterdam  (now 
New  York),  as  early  as  1609,  Hollanders  had  landed,  chiefly 
with  a  view  to  business  enterprises;  but  the  planting  of  the 
church  as  an  organization  is  dated  from  1628.  It  was  known 
as  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church. 

Twenty-three  miles  east  from  Norristown,  and  two  miles 
from  Churchville  in  Bucks  county,  is  an  ancient  settlement, 
known  for  over  two  hundred  years  as  "  Holland."  The  remains 
of  a  very  old  grave-yard  are  still  to  be  found,  attached  to  which, 
two  centuries  ago,  was  a  log  meeting  house,  used  by  a  Low 
Dutch  congregation.     This  spot  is  located  near  Feasterville. 

The  late  Rev.  Abraham  O.  Halsey  told  me  (about  i860), 
while  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of  North  and 
South  Hampton  (organized  in  17 10),  that  the  present  location 
at  Churchville  was  the  legal  successor  of  the  ancient  congre- 
gation and  the  old  church,  which  building  at  Holland  had  long 
been  obliterated.  The  present  large  stone  church  building  is 
the  third  erected  upon  the  premises. 

Of  its  former  history,  there  is  little  known,  except  tradi- 
tionally, and  the  dates,  many  of  them  utterly  extinct,  on  the 
old  grave  stones. 

A  few  of  the  names  of  the  seventeenth  century  were  Van- 
arsdalen,  Wynkoop,  Vanmeter,  Coryell,  Vanzant,  Cornell, 
Craven,  Lefferts,  etc. 


13 

We  shall  now  speak  particularly  of  the  old  Norriton 
Church.  Located  on  the  Germantown  and  Perkiomen  turn- 
pike, near  the  twentieth  mile  stone,  and  about  five  miles  north 
of  Norristown,  is  to  be  found  the  plain  stone  building,  long 
known  as  the  Norriton  Presbyterian  Church. 

It  is  a  spot  of  sacred  antiquity,  as  in  bygone  years  the 
dates  upon  the  tomb  and  grave  stones  gave  undoubted  proof 
of  burials  prior  to  the  year  1700.  The  burial  ground  is  en- 
closed by  a  substantial  stone  wall,  giving  the  appearance  of 
great  antiquity. 

Evidently  the  walls  of  the  church  are  the  same  as  when 
erected.  Over  the  antique  windows  are  substantial  arches  of 
stone,  and  upon  the  north  or  rear  side  of  the  house,  two  small 
windows,  intended  for  pulpit  light,  are  still  there.  One  large 
double  door,  for  ingress  and  egress,  is  found  upon  the  front 
or  south  side. 

I  remember  well,  as  a  lad  of  ten  years  of  age,  the  internal 
parts  of  this  church.  I  speak  of  it  as  it  appeared  between  1833 
and  1843.  The  pews  were  the  old  style,  hard  board  seats, 
very  high,  straight  backs,  so  that  a  child  with  difficulty  could 
see  over  them  ;  one  aisle  in  the  centre,  entering  from  the 
door,  with  two  square  blocks  of  pews,  on  either  side  of  the 
pulpit.  These  corner  blocks  of  pews  made  recesses,  in  which 
space  two  old-fashioned  stoves,  designed  for  burning  long 
sticks  of  wood,  each  stove  conveying  tortuous  sheet-iron  stove 
pipes  to  the  chimneys  upon  either  side. 

The  quaint  pulpit  of  the  olden  time  would  be  regarded  as 
a  rare  curiosity  to-day.  Its  dimensions  were  only  large  enough 
for  a  single  good-sized  man.  Where  the  minister  stood  to 
preach  was  a  closely  confined  place  with  three  panelled  sides, 
having  a  small  desk  for  the  Bible  and  hymn  book,  the  wood 
work  being  dark  oak.  The  steps  ascending  to  the  pulpit  were 
narrow  and  spiral,  while  directly  over  the  preacher's  head  was 
a  conspicuous  round  arched  sounding  board  of  perhaps  three 
feet  in  diameter,  neatly  made,  with  ornamented  mouldings,  out 
of  selected  walnut  boards.  Immediately  behind  the  speaker, 
upon  either  side,  were  the  two  small  windows  alluded  to. 


H 

During  the  ten  years  named  above,  from  December,  1835, 
to  January,  1839,  the  tall,  stalwart  form  of  Rev.  Robert  W. 
Landis  (in  later  years  a  professor  in  Danville  Seminary,  Ky.) 
held  forth  as  the  pastor  of  Lower  Providence  Presbyterian 
Church;  and  from  May,  1839,  until  October,  1844,  Rev.  Syl- 
vanus  Haight  was  the  minister.  I  recall  distinctly  the  rever- 
ential appearance  and  earnest  sermons  of  the  latter.  He  was 
a  man  already  advanced  in  years,  stout  in  physical  frame, 
pleasant  countenance,  snow-white  hair,  winning  with  the  child- 
ren, and  greatly  respected  by  the  congregation.  Public  wor- 
ship in  those  days  was  regarded  as  a  privilege  and  not  a  task ; 
therefore,  the  first  day  of  the  week  would  show  a  full  congre- 
gation, when  services  were  held  at  Norriton. 

Instead  of  Sunday  school,  the  custom  of  those  days  was 
to  hold  a  singing  school  in  the  afternoons,  to  which  the  young 
of  both  sexes  would  come  en  masse,  and  make  the  old  church 
ring  with  the  music.  A  Mr.  Foust;  also,  Mr.  Kendall,  were 
the  teachers. 

Now  as  to  the  old  grave-yard  adjoining  the  church.  It 
contains  perhaps  about  one-third  of  an  acre  of  ground,  and  is 
enclosed  by  a  stone  wall,  seemingly  in  good  repair. 

In  1833  to  1840,  from  actual  observation,  the  grave-stones 
were  far  more  in  number,  than  at  this  writing.  The  tomb- 
stones have  generally  been  well  preserved :  but  the  primitive, 
dark  sand-stones,  worn  by  the  elements,  rain-storms  and  win- 
ters of  two  centuries,  have  many  of  them  entirely  disappeared. 

In  1835  a  number  of  such  grave-stones  stood  fairly  up 
against  the  church  walls  on  the  north  as  well  as  the  east  side. 
At  the  time  the  writer  made  earnest  and  repeated  efforts  to 
decipher  the  epitaphs,  names  and  dates  and  record  the  same. 
Subsequently,  two  or  three  years  later,  he  made  another  effort. 
He  well  remembers  that  among  the  number  were  some  epi- 
taphs graven  in  Dutch  or  Holland;  also,  German  words,  show-* 
ing  dates  prior  to  1700.  Some  were  the  names  of  ministers, 
evidently  those  who  had  labored  there;  others  were  probably 
some  of  the  first  settlers  in  this  new  wilderness;  and  some  two 
or  three  had  been  soldiers,  possibly  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 


15 

In  the  rear  end  of  the  grave-yard  is  a  flat  stone  without  any 
inscription,  said  to  be  very  ancient,  of  a  man  killed  in  a  neigh- 
boring stone  quarry.  These  dark-colored  sand-stones,  unat- 
tractive, dilapidated,  illegible,  and  long  uncared  for,  adjoining 
the  church  building,  at  length  disappeared.  With  some  re- 
luctance, yet  I  feel  constrained  to  furnish  an  explanation. 

In  January,  1844,  it  was  deemed  necessary  by  the  trus- 
tees of  Lower  Providence  Church  to  repair  and  modernize  the 
old  building;  also,  to  underpin  the  walls  of  the  house  upon 
the  north  and  east  sides,  as  well  as  repair  the  grave-yard 
walls. 

Accordingly,  in  the  following  spring,  the  old  style  pews 
were  removed  and  replaced  by  others,  the  floors  were  repaired, 
the  antiquated  pulpit  and  sounding  board  were  taken  down, 
and  a  new  roof  placed  upon  the  building.  Daniel  Shuler  and 
Andrew  Shuck,  carpenters,  did  the  work. 

At  the  same  time  the  walls  were  pointed  and  repaired. 
It  was  early  spring-time ;  the  masons  were  short  of  stone  to 
finish  the  work;  and  the  old  memorial  stones,  some  of  them 
already  defaced  and  broken,  together  with  the  old  date  stone, 
which  had  fallen  to  the  ground,  were  ruthlessly  destroyed, 
gathered  together,  daubed  with  mortar  and  driven  under  the 
old  walls,  thus  leaving  as  a  memento  of  these  workmen  (their 
names  unknown)  a  cruel  act  of  thoughtlessness  or  heartless- 
ness,  perhaps  both. 

This  piece  of  vandalism  is  much  to  be  deplored,  because 
the  very  grave-stones  in  question  belonged  to  the  ancient 
days.  They  bore  inscriptions  and  testimonies  to  the  memory 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Norriton,  and  the  thought  is  a  sad  one, 
that  there  is  no  remote  possibility  that  any  of  those  lost  names 
shall  ever  be  restored  or  recovered. 

As  already  intimated,  although  the  lapse  of  many  years 
had  rendered  the  lettering  difficult  to  decipher,  the  family 
names  of  some,  at  least,  distinctly  bore  evidence  that  they 
were  Hollanders,  having  the  prefix  of  "  Van."  The  names  of 
some  of  the  first  land  holders  in  the  vicinity  were  Dutch,  such 
as  Van  Fossen,  Van  Santword,  Van  Baun,  Amish,  Yeagle, 


i6 

Du  Bois,  Rittinghausen,  Kester  (or  Custer),  Beyes  (or  Beyer), 
Le  Fever  and  Recup. 

It  may  be  proper  to  add  incidentally  that  the  alterations 
to  the  old  church  above  were  not  done  by  the  unanimous 
consent  of  the  trustees.  The  Providence  Church  was  without 
a  pastor  at  the  time.  The  sexton,  Mr.  Shuck,  was  directed 
by  Colonel  A.  W.  Shearer  and  Francis  Burnside  to  put  on  a 
new  lock  upon  the  front  door  to  prevent  the  work ;  neverthe- 
less, the  alt-erations  were  made. 

The  items  and  facts  just  recited  were  confirmed  by 
Andrew  Bean,  an  aged  resident  living  immediately  opposite 
the  church ;  also,  by  Samuel  B.  Beyer  and  the  late  John 
Hoffman,  Esq.,  who  also  resided  near  by. 

The  ancient  tomb  and  grave-stones,  now  extant,  were 
chiefly  made  of  marble,  and  are  fairly  modern  in  antiquity, 
compared  with  those  rude,  dark  sand-stones,  first  used  in  the 
primitive  burial  ground. 

Taking  now  a  retrospective  glance,  one  can  imagine  how 
changed  are  the  surroundings  of  that  old  house  of  worship. 

When  it  was  reared  out  of  logs,  doubtless  a  dense  forest 
surrounded  it,  and  the  Indian  would  pause  and  gaze,  and  per- 
haps wondered  why  it  was  built  there ;  and  frequently,  it  may 
be  surmised,  the  curious  savages*  would  rest  beneath  the  forest 
trees,  quietly  lingering  there,  ignorant  of  the  old  Dutch 
preacher's  message,  yet  possibly  enjoying  the  sweet  concord 
of  sounds  welling  up  from  the  united  voices  of  the  worshiping 
assembly.  The  little  Indian  children  would  play  among  the 
first  made  graves,  and  with  childish  innocence  pluck  the  wild 
flowers  from  the  silent  mound. 

No  other  road  save  the  Indian  path  was  there ;  after- 
wards called  "  Manatawny  ";  and  upon  the  southern  slopes  of 
the  present  Fairview  village  did  these  friendly  Indians  abide 
in  their  accustomed  huts. 

To  speak  specifically  of  the  old  Norriton  Church,  my 
opinion  (which  has  been  duly  confirmed  by  traditional  state- 
ments) is,  that  this  religious  society  or  organization  was  at 
first  composed  of  Hollanders,  the  original  members  having 


17 

landed  at  New  York,  but  later  emigrating  from  Bucks  county 
thither.  It  is  probable  that  they  made  some  terms  with  the 
Indian  owners  for  the  use  of  the  land.  Without  doubt  they 
built  the  first  meeting  house  from  the  trees  of  the  forest,  and 
it  is  possible  about  1675.  There  was  at  that  time  no  taxable 
inhabitants,  but  it  is  known  that  in  twenty  or  twenty-five 
years  later  the  population  had  not  only  materially  increased 
but  also  changed  by  the  incoming  of  a  new  emigration  of 
Scotch  and  north  of  Ireland  pioneers. 

Early  in  the  eighteenth  century  this  fact  was  established 
by  the  names  of  the  owners  of  farms  whose  respective  tracts 
of  land  were  parts  of  the  manor  of  Williamstadt,  comprising 
7,480  acres  (later  Norriton  township),  granted  in  1704  to  Wm. 
Penn,  Jr.,  and  shortly  after  to  Isaac  Norris  and  William  Trent. 

In  1 71 2,  Isaac  Norris,  by  purchase  from  Trent,  acquired 
the  whole  tract.  This  manor  was  changed  to  the  township  of 
Norriton  in  1730,  at  which  time  there  were  but  twenty-five 
taxables  therein. 

We  append  herewith  some  of  the  names  of  those  whose 
tomb  stones  exhibit  dates  previous  to  the  Revolution : 

Joseph  Armstrong,  aged  4  years,  died  April  29,  1740. 
Archibald  Thompson,  Sr.,  aged  68  years,  died  in  1745.  Sam- 
uel Thompson,  aged  35  years,  died  in  1746.  Robert  Thomp- 
son, aged  40  years,  died  in  1746.  Robert  Thompson,  aged  46 
years,  died  in  1747.  Moses  Thompson,  aged  31  years,  died 
in  1748.  Robert  Dunn,  aged  40  years,  died  in  1748.  Jane 
Christey,  aged  72  years,  died  in  1756.  John  Christey,  aged 
87  years,  died  in  1766.  Robert  Porter,  aged  72  years,  died  in 
1770.  Joseph  Armstrong,  Sr.,  aged  80  years,  died  in  1766. 
Mary  Armstrong,  aged  76  years,  died  in  1776.  Barbara  Hen- 
derson, aged  34  years,  died  in  1772.  Catharine  Freeman,  died 
in  1776.    Archibald  Thompson,  Jr.,  aged  39  years,  died  in  1779. 

Many  of  the  older  stones  were  found  without  any  letter- 
ing, hence  entirely  unintelligible,  owing  to  the  soft  and  perish- 
able nature  of  stone  used  in  those  early  days.  Notwithstand- 
ing this,  the  descendants  of  these  nameless  ones  who  lived 
after  them  possessed  sterUng  characters,  and  were  a  credit  to 
later  generations.     Especially  true  is  this,  as  to  many  worthy 


i8 

families  who  settled  as  emigrants  in  both  Norriton  and 'Wor- 
cester, They  were  a  sturdy  stock  from  the  north  of  Ireland, 
noted  for  their  enterprise,  intelligence,  and  reliable  Protestant 
principles.  These  Scotch-Irish  people  came  quietly  and  un- 
heralded, but  made  the  best  of  citizens;  and  although  many 
of  their  posterity  have  since  removed  away  from  the  vicinity 
of  the  old  church,  they  have  carried  with  them  a  good  record 
for  honesty,  fidelity  and  christian  character,  wherever  it  has 
fallen  to  their  earthly  lot  to  dwell. 

It  may  not  be  amiss,  therefore,  to  furnish  some  additional 
names  found  in  the  little  grave-yard,  to  make  known  to  the 
present  generation,  and  possibly  some  relatives,  those  who  once 
lived  in  the  neighborhood,  and  worshiped  in  the  old  meeting- 
house. 

Buck,  in  his  Montgomery  county  history,  visited  this  old 
burial  place  in  1858,  while  the  writer  made  his  occasional  visits 
to  the  same  place  beginning  full  twenty  years  earlier,  say  in 

1835- 

Armstrong,  Bayley,  Burns,  Hooven,  Curry,  Smith,  Knox, 

Christey,  McCrea,  Dunn,  Bryant,  Darrah,  White,  DeHaven, 
Hanna,  Fitzwater,  Freeman,  Fulton,  Porter,  Foster,  Richards, 
Hiser,  or  Heyser,  Trump,  Henderson,  Thompson,  Keesey, 
Zeigler,  McGlathery,  Stuart,  Patterson,  Philips,  Stroud,  Stew- 
art, Lefever,  Shannon,  McLean,  St.  Clair,  Baker,  Dettra. 

The  above,  it  will  be  understood,  are  names  representing 
families,  and  as  a  consequence,  some  names  exhibiting  a  large 
number  of  graves.  For  example:  the  Armstrong  family,  one 
of  the  earliest,  shows  over  thirty  graves.  Also,  there  are  sev- 
eral of  the  Thompsons,  the  Porters,  the  Stuarts,  the  McCreas, 
the  Burns,  the  Pattersons,  and  others. 

The  head  stone  of  one  Mary  Curry  records  almost  a  cen- 
tenarian, departing  this  life  in  1804,  in  her  ninty-eighth  year; 
also  John  Porter,  dying  in  1821.  in  his  ninety-fifth  year. 

Here  lie  the  remains  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Christopher 
Stuart,  an  officer  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  an  old  resi- 
dent of  the  neighborhood,  who  died  May  27,  1799,  aged  51 
years. 


19 

This  old  congregation,  claiming,  as  we  believe,  to  be  the 
mother  of  all  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  Pennsylvania,  gave 
the  first  exhibit  of  church  extension,  by  the  organization  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  denominated  "  Norriton  and  Providence," 
which  occurred  in  1730. 

This  church,  now  called  "  Lower  Providence,"  has  already 
erected  its  third  edifice,  and  dedicated  the  same  in  the  early 
summer  of  1869. 

During  the  months  while  engaged  in  erecting  the  new 
church  building,  the  Lower  Providence  congregation  met  stat- 
edly for  worship  on  Sabbath  days  in  the  Jeffersonville  church, 
the  same  having  been  tendered  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Charles 
Collins,  and  session  of  said  congregation. 

The  Jeffersonville  church  was  taken  <^own  and  removed 
in  May,  1875,  together  with  the  remains  of  those  buried  in  the 
cemetery  adjoining,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  east,  on  the 
Ridge  turnpike,  and  a  new  granite  building  erected,  known 
thereafter  by  a  new  charter,  as  the  Centennial  church  of  Jef- 
fersonville. 

Just  here  it  may  be  proper  to  say,  that  after  the  Lower 
Providence  church  was  first  built,  about  1730  or  '32,  the  cur- 
rent of  population  seemed  to  turn  in  that  direction,  and  possibly 
the  spirit  of  dissension  already  rife  helped  also  to  weaken  the 
old  Norriton  congregation. 

This  item  will  explain  how  rapidly  the  then  new  grave- 
yard of  Providence  filled  up;  and  likewise,  how  very  many 
of  the  same  family  names  were  multiplied  there,  which  has 
since  grown  to  large  proportions  as  a  rural  resting  place  for  the 
dead. 

This  fact  of  the  united  congregations,  the  "  Norriton  "  and 
the  "  Providence,"  so  long  under  the  direction  and  control  of 
the  same  session,  and  so  long  enjoying  the  same  pastors,  since 
1758  at  lea.st,  until  this  writing,  1894,  is  a  remarkable  state- 
ment; hence,  by  legal  succession,  the  Lower  Providence 
church  has  always,  heretofore  and  now,  the  ownership,  as  well 
as  all  rights  in  the  real  estate,  and  entire  control  of  the  build- 
ing, as  to  its  uses  for  public  worship. 


20 

We  have  also  regarded  it  as  a  mistake,  perhaps  lack  of 
due  consideration,  when  in  the  Spring  of  1844,  the  Trustees  of 
the  Lower  Providence  church  permitted  the  alterations  that 
were  then  made  to  the  old  building.  In  a  previous  paragraph 
we  have  made  allusion.  At  that  time  we  think  the  Providence 
church  was  without  a  pastor,  or  possibly  better  counsel  might 
have  prevailed. 

Before  the  destruction  of  the  old  oak  board  floors,  and 
especially  the  old  pulpit  and  sounding  board,  internally,  it  was 
a  quaint  exhibit  of  the  olden  time.  Why  not  have  done  the 
necessary  repairs,  but  at  the  same  time  preserve  the  work  of  the 
forefathers,  as  was  done  in  the  case  of  the  ancient  Lutheran 
church  at  the  Trappe  (now  Collegeville),  erected  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  in  1743. 

The  venerable  Jacob  Beyer,  Sr.,  with  whom  I  had  many 
conversations,  informed  me,  about  1835—40,  that  the  existing 
old  Norriton  church  was  very  similar  in  its  external  appear- 
ance to  the  old  Lutheran  church  just  named,  and  formerly 
had,  to  his  distinct  recollection,  an  antiquated  hip-roof,  which 
he  thought  (trusting  to  his  memory),  being  dilapidated,  was 
taken  off  about  1774—75,  and  the  present  barn-roof  style  sub- 
stituted. 

He  also  told  me  that  his  great-grandfather,  Abraham 
Beyer,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  Montgomery  county,  who 
married  Rosina  Yeakle  in  Holland,  settled  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  Norriton  church  in  1736.  He  lived  just  over  the 
line  of  Norriton  in  Worcester  township,  then  in  Philadelphia 
county,  and  died  October  30,  1754. 

His  son  was  Andrew  Beyer,  who  married  Philipina  Wey- 
and  November  7,  1758,  died  April  19,  1773,  aged  forty  years, 
and  had  removed  to  the  Norriton  township  farm.  His  son, 
Jacob  Beyer,  Sr.,  married  Rachel  Metz.  He  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1762,  and  died  August  23,  1846,  in  his  eighty-fifth 
year. 

He  had  a  distinct  recollection,  good  memory,  and  many 
reminiscences  pertaining  to  the  Norriton  church  prior  to,  and 
after  the   Revolution,  was  often   personally  present   during 


21 


those  trying  years,  and  entertained  me  frequently  with  inter- 
esting recitals  of  his  early  days  and  the  by-gone  years. 

One  statement  impressed  me,  and  which  he  loved  to  re- 
peat, viz.,  that  when  his  great-grandfather  settled  there  in 
1736,  he  told  his  family,  after  careful  inquiry  and  investiga- 
tion, that  the  Norriton  meeting-house  was,  at  that  date,  called 
an  old  church  and  burial  place,  at  least  a  half  century  or  more 
in  existence;  that  the  building  was  first  of  logs,  and  stood 
some  twenty  years;  that  probably  about  1698  to  1705  the 
present  stone  church  was  erected;  also,  that  Hollanders  were 
first  on  the  ground;  and  later,  probably  just  after  the  violent 
struggles  in  Scotland,  lasting  from  1660  to  1688,  the  new  emi- 
grants took  up  the  soil. 

It  is  a  historical  fact  that  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Ire- 
land was  mainly  the  offspring  of  Presbyterian  emigration  from 
Scotland,  and,  as  in  the  sister  kingdom,  it  grew  up  under 
severe  persecutions  and  sufferings,  driving  several  ship-loads 
of  emigrants  to  Philadelphia  about  i688-'90. 

I  might  add  that  Jacob  Beyer  and  Andrew  Beyer,  sons 
of  the  last  named  Jacob  Beyer,  Sr.,  often  took  pleasure  in  after 
years  to  repeat  the  above  statements.  To  strengthen  this 
view,  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  Joseph  Metz,  Charles  Gouldy, 
the  brothers  Jacob  and  John  Dorworth,  who  died  aged  ninety- 
four;  Christian  Dettra,  who  was  almost  a  centennarian ;  and 
one  John  Metz,  now  living  at  ninety- two  years  of  age,  have  at 
intervals  in  past  years  repeated  similar  statements  to  me. 

The  late  John  Hoffman,  long  a  justice  of  the  peace,  had 
at  intervals  in  former  years  given  me  some  valuable  traditional 
statements.  He  also  referred  to  the  old,  black  grave-stones, 
now  extinct,  and  referred  to  an  old  deed  of  a  Holland  minister 
owning  a  farm  close  to  the  old  meeting-house,  about  1700- 
1710. 

The  following  is  an  extract  of  a  historical  sermon  by  the 
writer,  deHvered  in  July,  1876.  It  is  descriptive  of  the  old 
house  of  worship: 

"  Here,  in  strange  solitude,  upon  the  lower  declivity  of 
wooded  Methatchen,  the  old  log  house  of  worship  stood  two 


22 

centuries  ago.  We  can  readily  imagine  that  the  wild  and 
wandering  red  men  oft  halted  and  heard  with  wondering  inter- 
est, mingled  with  awe,  the  unintelligible  jargon  of  the  sturdy- 
Dutchmen  who  offered  prayer  in  uncouth  language  to  the 
Great  Spirit,  or  whose  lofty  hymns  of  praise  went  up  as  sweet 
incense  to  the  Father  of  Light  from  the  recesses  of  these  for- 
est glades.  They  still  lingered  by  the  woods  and  waters  that 
their  fathers  loved,  long  after  the  white  man's  axe  had  made 
scattered  clearings,  and  their  dusky  children,  in  company  with 
those  of  the  pale  faces,  played  gleefully  over  the  green  hillocks 
made  by  the  graves  of  the  first  settlers. 

"  The  old  log  church  probably  stood  from  thirty  to  forty 
years,  or  until  after  the  arrival  of  Penn  and  his  English 
Quakers,  and  a  more  steady  settlement  of  the  infant  province 
began.  An  important  evidence  as  to  the  antiquity  of  the 
newer  stone  church  was  the  old  date  stone,  which  stood  at 
the  eastern  gable  of  the  house.  This  was  broken  and  de- 
stroyed at  the  same  time  with  the  older  tomb-stones  above 
mentioned.  Unfortunately,  it  is  an  undecided  point  whether 
this  bore  the  inscription  of  1689  or  1698.  If  the  former,  it 
would  cause  it  to  rank  as  the  oldest  church  in  the  state ;  other- 
wise it  comes  second  in  antiquity.  An  approximation  toward 
ascertaining  the  exact  time  has  been  sought  through  re- 
searches among  title  deeds  of  lands  granted  in  the  vicinity,  by 
which  some  information  might  be  obtained  as  from  whom  the 
property  was  derived,  and  when  it  was  set  apart  for  religious 
purposes.  But  insurmountable  difficulties  have  hitherto  baf- 
fled the  search,  and  no  transfer  of  the  adjoining  property 
earlier  than  1 704  has  been  found.  Probably  from  no  title 
granted  originally  from  Penn  or  his  successors,  does  it  owe  its 
land. 

"  But  forty  or  fifty  years  later  the  original  Dutch  settlers 
were  to  be  superseded  by  another  and  a  very  different  people, 
speaking  a  different  tongue,  though  worshipers  in  the  same 
faith,  and  also  adherents  of  the  theology  of  Calvin,  the  Scotch- 
Irish.  From  and  after  1700  these  came  in  and  settled  the 
surrounding  country.  We  can  imagine  that  from  their  pre- 
dominance the  language  used  in  worship  was  speedily  changed 
to  English  ;  that  there  were  some  jarring  and  disagreements 
in  those  rude  times  with  the  former  inhabitants ;  but  that  the 
latter  soon  acquired  English  and  became  accustomed  to  the 
new  order  of  things.  The  inscriptions  found  upon  the  present 
tombstones  inform  us  of  the  family  names  common  among 
these  Scottish  settlers.     In  after  times,  at  a  much  later  period, 


23 

still  another  influx  of  people  of  another  race  began  gradually 
to  occupy  the  surrounding  region,  strangers  to  the  language, 
and  unfamiliar  with  the  manners  and  customs,  as  well  as  the 
traditions  of  the  Presbyterians.  These  were  mainly  German 
Dunkards,  Mennonites  and  Schwenkfeldters.  Thus  smothered 
and  hemmed  in  by  adverse  influences  the  old  church  began  to 
decay,  its  membership  died,  emigrated  to  the  west,  or  removed 
to  more  congenial  associations,  until  it  has  long  since  ceased 
to  exist  as  a  separate  organization. 

"  In  the  beginning  of  December,  1777,  a  division  of  the 
American  army  under  Washington  began  its  march  towards 
Valley  Forge,  which  was  to  become  famous  for  all  time,  on 
account  of  the  sufferings  and  hardships  endured  there  with 
such  patience  and  fortitude.  The  weather  was  cold  and 
severe  during  their  march  thither.  A  portion  of  the  sick  and 
exhausted  soldiery  found  welcome  rest  and  shelter  for  a  brief 
period  within  the  walls  of  the  Norriton  church,  which  lay 
along  the  route  of  their  dreary  march. 

As  confirmatory  of  the  premises  we  have  already  taken 
concerning  the  status,  age  and  changes  of  the  Norriton  church, 
it  will  be  helpful  to  carefully  observe  the  following  facts: 

The  Bensalem  church,  as  furnished  by  Dr.  Thomas 
Murphy  in  his  excellent  "  History  of  the  Log  College,"  sets 
forth  the  age  of  the  Bensalem  church,  Bucks  county,  as  being 
organized  in  1710;  adding,  "it  must  have  been  a  preaching 
place  for  some  years  before.  Its  proximity  to  the  settlement 
of  Hollanders,  who,  at  an  early  period,  formed  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed church  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  many  Dutch 
names  found  among  its  original  members,  would  indicate  that 
a  large  part  of  its  families  at  first  came  from  that  people." 

With  reference  to  the  church  of  Norriton  and  Providence, 
Dr.  Murphy  says:  "We  have  been  much  perplexed  with  the 
question  whether  Norriton  (at  first  called  Norrington)  or  Ben- 
salem, should  have  the  first  place  in  the  annals  of  our  Presby- 
tery." 

It  is  certain  that  in  Norriton  we  have  the  very  first  trace 
of  a  Presbyterian  enterprise  within  our  bounds.  A  trust- 
worthy tradition  affirms  that  a  plot  of  ground  was  purchased 
there  for  a  grkve-yard,  forerunner  of  a  church,  in  the  year 


24 

1678,  no  less  than  twenty-seven  years  before  the  founding  of 
the  Presbytery.  *  *  *  jt  ^Iso  appears,  that  a  Welshman 
named  David  Evans  was  preaching  in  that  neighborhood  be- 
fore 1705.  *  *  *  j|.  comes  to  light  with  certainty,  that  in 
17 14,  Norriton  enjoyed  stated  preaching  by  Rev.  Malachi 
Jones,  who  was  then  pastor  of  Abington  church.  At  that 
time,  1714,  we  date  the  commencement  of  the  Norriton  church 
as  Presbyterian,  though,  undoubtedly,  it  was  a  preaching  place 
long  before. 

The  church  of  Providence,  which  was  founded  sixteen 
years  later,  in  1730,  adopted  the  strange  plan  of  holding  ser- 
vices in  Norriton  during  the  winter  season,  and  at  Providence 
during  the  summer. 

Many  of  the  names  of  the  worthy  ministers  who  labored 
in  these  two  churches,  have  been  lost,  but  the  following  are 
known  to  have  preached  there : 

Malachi  Jones,  17 14,  for  thirteen  years;  David  Evans, 
1727,  four  years;  Richard  Treat,  173 1,  ten  years;  John  Row- 
land, about  1741-45;  John  Campbell,  1747,  six  years;  Ben- 
jamin Chestnut,  1756,  nine  years;  David  McCalla,  1774, 
eight  years;  Wm.  M.  Tennent,  1782,  thirty  years;  Joseph 
Barr,  18 14,  three  years;  then  followed  John  Smith,  Joshua 
Moore,  Thomas  Eustice,  Chas.  W.  Nassau  and  William  Wool- 
cott;  Rev.  Robert  W.  Landis,  December,  1835,  to  January 
1839;  Sylvanus  Haight,  1839  to  1844. 

Rev.  Henry  S.  Rodenbough  was  ordained  and  installed 
May  14,  1846.  Faithfully,  and  most  acceptably  he  ministered 
to  this  congregation,  and  was  called  to  his  heavenly  rest, 
deeply  mourned  by  a  devoted  people.  May  3,  1890.  Rev. 
Claude  R.  Brodhead  is  the  present  pastor,  and  was  installed 
October  3,  1890. 

The  Abington  church,  Montgomery  county,  was  organ- 
ized 1 714,  Rev.  Malachi  Jones,  pastor;  and  the  Neshaminy 
church  in  1726,  when  Rev.  Wm.  Tennent,  Sr.,  became  pastor, 
and  continued  for  sixteen  years. 

Traditionally,  we  have  the  statement,  that  the  coming  into 
the  vicinity  of  the  Norriton  and  the  Providence  churches,  of 


25 

one  Rev.  John  Rowland,  about  the  end  of  1739  and  through 
1740,  a  most  memorable  revival  of  religion  transpired.  He 
preached  in  the  two  churches  alternately,  until  the  whole 
region  round  about  seemed  pervaded  with  "  the  great  awaken- 
ing." 

Of  this  noted  evangelist  we  shall  have  more  to  say  in 
some  following  pages.  Suffice  it,  that  scores  of  sinners  were 
converted,  and  many  careless  Christians  revived  and  estab- 
lished in  the  faith. 

It  is  certified  that  among  the  number  were  the  grand- 
father and  grandmother  of  Rev.  Archibald  Alexander,  D.  D., 
long  the  beloved  and  greatly  respected  professor  in  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary.  In  the  Providence  grave-yard,  may  be 
found  the  progenitors  of  the  Alexanders  belonging  to  two  or 
three  generations. 

The  above  facts,  calmly  considered,  go  very  far  to  estab- 
lish our  plea,  that  the  Norriton  church  is  really  the  oldest  in 
the  state,  not  excepting  the  meeting-house  at  Lower  Merion. 
During  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  this  church 
was  well-known  to  the  Hollanders  settled  in  Bucks  county, 
as  well  as  New  Jersey,  and  later,  during  the  great  revival  that 
began  at  Freehold,  N.  J.,  in  1732,  under  the  labors  of  Rev. 
John  Tennent,  the  Norriton  church,  as  a  Presbyterian  congre- 
gation, notably  participated. 

A  remarkable  schism  interrupted  the  progress  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  as  a  denomination,  in  1740.  It  made 
havoc  as  the  evil  rapidly  spread.  The  log  church  first  built 
at  Providence,  had  been  recently  replaced  by  the  first  stone 
building. 

Owing  to  the  prevailing  disturbances,  Norriton  was  with- 
out a  regular  pastor,  but  one.  Rev.  John  Kincaid,  took  hold 
as  their  minister,  and  did  a  good  work. 

Rev.  John  Rowland,  who  had  received  his  education  at 
the  Log  College,  applied  for  a  license  to  the  Presbytery  of 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  He  was  ordained  as  an  Evangelist 
June  I,  1 74 1.  After  laboring  a  year  in  New  Jersey,  he  came 
over  into  Pennsylvania. 


26 

In  1742,  accordingly,  he  took  charge  of  Lower  Provi- 
dence church,  and  Charlestown  church,  Chester  county,  Pa. 
But  whilst  he  was  the  instrument  in  performing  an  extraordi- 
nary work  in  the  community,  with  ability  and  tact  to  reach 
the  masses,  yet  a  little  later,  dissensions,  strife  and  personal 
envy,  resulted  in  disorder. 

Largely  as  a  result  of  the  division  of  the  Presbyterian 
body  just  referred  to,  it  was  destined  to  divide  many  of  the 
congregations,  and  had  already  most  seriously  affected  both 
Norriton  and  Providence  churches.  The  tendency  was  to 
weaken  both,  but  Norriton  suffered  most. 

The  consequences  of  the  schism,  and  the  soreness  result- 
ing from  the  separation  of  kindred  and  friends,  had  kindled 
undue  animosity;  hence,  even  those  who  were  workers  in  the 
Master's  vineyard,  were  first  to  suffer. 

To  advert  to  the  causes  of  the  division,  we  might  say, 
that  for  two  or  three  years  preceding  the  preaching  of  the  re- 
nowned Revs.  Geo.  Whitefield  and  Gilbert  Tennent,  so  elo- 
quent and  earnest,  yet  so  thoroughly  Evangelical  in  its  tone, 
had  arrested  the  unusual  attention  of  the  multitude. 

The  lethargic  slumbers  of  the  formal  professors  of  reli- 
gion .were  awakened  by  these  bold  innovaters,  whose  service 
naturally  aroused  opposition. 

The  two  parties  were  called,  by  way  of  distinction,  "  old 
lights"  and  "new  lights." 

Long  fomenting  grievances  resulted  in  increased  hostility, 
the  division  of  congregations,  together  with  untold  acrimony, 
and  a  spirit  of  unforgiveness. 

Old  Norriton  church,  with  its  staid  membership  and  rigid 
adherence  to  the  Westminster  standards,  opposed  Whitefield. 
A  goodly  portion  of  the  members  seceded,  and  cast  in  their  lot 
to  strengthen  the  Providence  church,  and  uphold  the  teachings 
of  Rev.  John  Rowland. 

He  was  evidently  an  independent  preacher,  with  boldness, 
fortitude,  and  ability  to  defend  his  cause,  yet  remarkable  for 
his  readiness  to  speak  fluently,  intelligibly,  and  convincingly 
to  those  who  were  not  yet  heirs  of  salvation.     To  show  the 


27 

character  of  the  man,  we  quote  from  a  narrative  written  by 
him  in  1744,  now  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago. 

Is  it  not  true  that  "  distance  lends  enchantment  to  the 
view,"  as  we  learn,  that  the  glamour  which  appears  as  a  bright 
vision,  and  which  we  are  inclined  to  call  "the  good  old  times," 
is  apt  to  be  dispelled,  as  we  get  a  nearer  and  clearer  view  of 
former  days. 

He  attempts  to  describe  in  no  very  favorable  terms  the 
character  of  the  people  to  whom  he  was  then  ministering,  at 
New  Providence  church,  as  it-was  then  called. 

The  tone  of  this  letter  is  exceedingly  condemnatoiy  as  to 
the  spiritual  condition  of  the  membership,  charging  upon  them 
an  exhibition  of  unkindness  in  their  intercourse  with  one  an- 
other, and  an  utter  lack  of  benevolence  and  Christian  charity. 

In  this  narrative  which  he  wrote  and  addressed  to  Mr. 
Prince,  he  says: 

"In  the  year  1743  I  came  to  live  in  Charleston,  Chester 
county.  Pa,,  and  have  continued  according  to  the  order  of 
Presbytery,  preaching  among  them,  and  the  people  of  New 
Providence. 

"  But  as  my  ministry  has  been  chiefly  successful  in  the 
latter  place  since  I  came  into  these  parts,  I  shall  only  speak 
of  what  I  have  observed  of  the  work  of  God  in  New  Provi- 
dence. 

"The  people  of  this  place,  before  I  came,  were  but  an 
ignorant  sort  of  people,  unacquainted  with  religion,  both  as  to 
principle  and  practice;  and  though  they  would  pretend,  some 
to  belong  to  one  denomination  and  some  to  another,  yet  a 
vain  name,  was  all.  Looseness  prevailed  much  in  the  place, 
and  there  was  not  one  to  speak  to  another  in  a  suitable  man- 
ner, neither  of  the  vileness,  deformity  and  unprofitableness  of 
the  ways  of  sin,  nor  of  the  glory  and  excellency,  and  profit- 
ableness of  the  ways  of  God. 

"I  know  not  that  any  of  them  observed  family  prayer,  or 
ever  asked  a  blessing  on  their  food.  This  was  the  case  among 
them,  as  they  told  me  several  times,  and  again  since  I  began 
to  wriie  this  narrative. 


28 

"The  conviction  and  conversion  of  the  people  of  New 
Providence  occurred  within  about  two  months  of  one  another. 

"It  was  the  time  of  my  traveHng  among  them  that  the 
Lord  chose  to  bless  for  their  ingathering  into  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  since  I  have  labored  statedly  among  them  it  has  been  as 
much  my  endeavor  to  build  up  those  who  were  called  into  the 
fellowship  of  God  as  to  convince  sinners  of  their  misery;  and 
to  this  end  my  labors  were  blessed  again  among  them  through- 
out the  year  1744. 

"As  to  their  conviction  and  conversion  unto  God,  I  may 
say,  they  are  capable  to  give  a  scriptural  account  of  these 
things. 

"  I  forbear  to  speak  of  many  extraordinary  appearances, 
such  as  some  scores  of  persons,  crying  out  at  one  instant  for 
mercy,  and  of  others,  falling  down  and  fainting. 

"These  people  are  still  increasing;  and,  blessed  be  the 
Lord,  since  the  great  reviv^al,  are  endeavoring  to  walk  in  com- 
munion with  God,  and  with  one  another.  And  for  this  end 
they  now  meet  in  society  in  the  meeting-house,  two  or  three 
hours  at  a  time,  for  praise  and  prayer,  and  they  find  this  an 
excellent  means  to  prepare  them  for  the  Sabbath. 

"  They  are  now  careful  to  maintain  the  worship  of  God 
in  their  families,  and  to  use  all  agreeable,  proper  means  to  in- 
crease their  own  knowledge  in  the  things  of  God. 

"  I  choose  to  say  no  more,  though  I  may  truly  say,  that 
what  I  have  spoken  of  the  glorious  work  of  God  in  this  place, 
.is  but  a  little  to  what  I  might  have  said." 

The  authority  for  the  above,  is  the  Rev.  Archibald  Alex- 
ander, D.  D.,  page  353,  "  Log  College,"  published  by  the  Pres- 
byterian Board. 

Dr.  A.  adds,  "  that  the  faithful,  yet  sometimes  denuncia- 
tory preaching  of  Mr.  Rowland,  gave  him  the  soubriquet  of 
"  Hell-fire  Rowland." 

A  veritable  yet  remarkable  story  is  told  of  Rowland, 
which  involves  some  interesting  questions  of  psychology,  and 
seems  to  show  in  a  remarkable  case  how  mysterious  are  the 
subtle  workings  of  the  human  mind,  concerning  the  philoso- 


29 

phy  of  which  science  has  as  yet  given  us  little  light.  It 
also  indicates  the  almost  incredible  animosity  and  rancor 
existing  at  that  time,  and  which  was  exhibited  by  so-called 
Christian  people.  These  hesitated  not  at  any  effort  that  mal- 
ice could  devise,  by  which  might  be  ruined,  not  their  enemies, 
but  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  and  members  of  the  same  house- 
hold of  faith. 

For  a  very  singular  reason,  Rowland  was  once  arrested 
as  a  horse  thief,  and  came  near  suffering  the  penalty  in  that 
case  made  and  provided.  It  seems  that  a  noted  scroundrel  of 
this  type  so  resembled  in  physical  appearance  the  reverend 
gentleman,  that  people  could  not  readily  distinguish  between 
them.  The  horse  thief  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  Freehold, 
N.  J.,  when  the  landlord  of  a  hotel  where  he  stopped,  addressed 
him  by  the  name  of  Rowland.  The  man  was  not  slow  to 
take  the  hint,  that  here  was  an  excellent  opportunity  for 
profiting  by  their  mistaken  identity.  He  may  not  have  been 
acquainted  with  Rowland,  but  had  doubtless  heard  of  him. 
Assuming  his  name  and  title,  and  gifted  with  facile  address, 
he  easily  imposed  himself  as  the  preacher.  He  was  soon 
afterward  at  the  house  of  a  deacon,  a  leading  member  of  a 
church,  and  had  been  appointed  to  preach  on  a  Sunday  morn- 
ing. With  his  household  they  rode  toward  the  place  of  wor- 
ship. But  a  member  of  the  family  rode  behind  the  wagon, 
astride  a  splendid  horse.  We  may  be  sure  that  the  sight  of 
the  superb  beast  was  quite  too  tempting  to  the  would-be 
preacher,  and  he  instantly  formed  a  plan  to  make  him  his 
own.  He  suddenly  pretended  that  he  had  forgotten  his  ser- 
mon at  the  house.  The  horseman  politely  offered  to  go  back 
and  get  it  for  him,  but  the  false  Rowland  said  no  one  could 
find  it  so  readily  as  himself.  If  the  other  would  but  take  his 
seat  in  the  wagon,  he  would  mount  the  horse  and  go  back 
himself.  This  was  unsuspectingly  complied  with,  and  it  is 
needless  to  state  that  the  congregation  vainly  waited  for  the 
preacher  to  appear  that  morning,  and  the  good  deacon  never 
saw  his  handsome  steed  again. 


30 

When  this  took  place,  Rowland  was  many  hundred  miles 
away  in  Virginia  preaching,  in  company  with  Tennent  and 
Anderson.  When  they  came  back,  Rowland  was  quickly 
arrested  as  the  thief.  Of  course  Anderson  and  Tennent  were 
able  to  swear  to  an  alibi,  and  he  was  soon  acquitted.  But  the 
animosities  of  the  "  Old  Lights,"  who  had  instigated  Tennent's 
arrest,  thus  baffled  at  one  point,  took  revenge  at  another. 
They  had  Tennent  and  Anderson  arrested  for  perjury.  Un- 
able to  find  confirmatory  proof,  and  surrounded  by  their  foes, 
their  trial  came  on  at  Trenton,  and  Anderson  was  first  con- 
victed. As  part  of  his  punishment,  he  had  already  stood  in 
the  pillory.  But  Tennent  was  most  providentially  acquitted 
by  the  arrival  of  a  man  and  his  wife  from  Virginia,  who  knew 
them  both,  and  had  been  forewarned  of  their  peril.  On  three 
successive  nights  he  had  been  warned  in  a  dream  of  the  dan- 
ger in  which  these  preachers  stood,  and  so  vividly  had  it  im- 
pressed his  mind,  that  he  determined  to  go  to  their  rescue  with 
his  testimony.  It  is  said  that  Tennent  had  all  the  while  de- 
clared, that  some  unforseen  interposition  of  Providence  would 
save  him  and  his  companion,  so  great  was  his  faith  and  trust  that 
his  prayers  would  be  answered.  Of  course  the  man's  testimony 
established  their  innocence,  and  the  release  of  both  resulted. 

Rev.  John  Rowland  died  in  1747.  Then  Rev.  Richard 
Treat,  of  Abington,  took  charge  of  the  Providence  and  Charles- 
ton churches.  Rev.  David  Brainard  acting  as  assistant  pastor. 

In  the  autumn  of  1747  Rev.  John  Campbell  was  ordained 
and  installed  pastor  of  the  Providence  and  Charleston  churches, 
and  remained  until  1753.  His  call  from  life  and  duty  was 
sudden.  Hew^as  in  the  act  of  giving  out  the  i  i6th  Psalm,  to  sing 
these  words,  when  instantly  stricken  with  palsy  in  the  pulpit : 

"  Dear  in  thy  sight  is  thy  saint's  death, 
Thy  servant  Lord  am  I." 

He  was  buried  at  Providence  grave-yard,  and  on  his 
tomb  may  be  found  this  inscription : 

"  In  yonder  sacred  house  I  spent  my  breath  ; 
Now  silent,  mouldering  here,  I  lie  in  death. 
These  silent  lips  shall  wake  and  yet  declare 
A  dread  Amen,  to  truths  they  uttered  there." 


31 

Then  followed  Rev.  Benj.  Chestnut,  who  resigned  in 
1763.  His  wife  Judith  lies  buried  in  the  Providence  ceme- 
tery, adjoining  the  church. 

After  the  reunion  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  general, 
in  1758  (following  the  schism  of  1741),  the  name  of  the  Nor- 
riton  and  Providence  churches  was  assumed,  and  by  a  re- 
newed amicable  arrangement,  they  worshiped  for  many  years 
after,  alternately,  in  the  two  churches. 

Rev.  Richard  Treat,  of  Abington,  took  charge  in  1763, 
and  continued  until  1772.  Then  Rev.  David  McCalla  fol- 
lowed for  eight  years. 

Later,  in  1782,  Norriton,  Providence  and  Abington  all 
united  in  securing  as  pastor  Rev.  Wm.  M.  Tennent,  D.  D., 
who  continued  with  much  favor  and  marked  success  to  min- 
ister to  these  churches  for  thirty  years  until  1810. 

Pursuing  my  investigations  between  i845-'55,  I  was 
several  times  entertained  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Knox,  widow  of 
Robert  Knox,  who  was  the  oldest  son  of  Capt.  Andrew  Knox. 
The  latter  was  somewhat  renowned  in  his  day,  from  the  cir- 
cumstance that  an  unexpected  assault  was  made  upon  him  by 
some  Tories  one  night  (February  14,  1778)  during  the  Rev- 
olutionary War.  While  there  appeared  to  be  threatenings  on 
the  part  of  these  evil  disposed  men,  they  were  unsuccessful, 
and  were  driven  off,  Capt.  Knox  holding  the  fort.  His  son 
Robert,  above  alluded  to,  was  married  to  Margaret  McNeely. 
April  6,  1800,  but  he  was  a  witness  and  present  when  the 
affray  occurred,  and  Hved  for  many  years  after,  to  recount  the 
hair-breadth  escape  of  those  dangerous  night  prowlers. 

During  our  interviews,  Mrs.  Knox  would  often  expatiate 
with  much  earnestness  in  describing  the  eventful  scene,  ex- 
hibiting to  me  the  front  door  of  the  farm  house,  that  had  been 
pierced  with  a  number  of  bullet  holes,  and  which  door,  sub- 
sequently, was  given  to  Independence  Hall,  Philadelphia,  as  a 
relic  of  those  troublous  times. 

Among  other  items  of  the  by-gone  years,  the  old  lady 
called  my  attention  to  what  was  left  of  an  old,  decayed  willow 
tree,  nigh  to  the  old  spring-house,  and  stated  that  General 


32 

Washington,  upon  an  occasion  of  making  a  visit,  having  come 
from  near  Germantown,  after  alighting  from  a  handsome  white 
horse  that  he  rode,  himself  took  the  willow  switch  which  he 
had  used  as  a  whip,  and  planted  the  same,  that  for  over  a  half 
century  or  longer,  was  the  well-known  thriving,  luxurious, 
shady  Washington  tree. 

Our  conversation  usually  led  to  the  old  Norriton  church, 
about  which  she  loved  to  talk,  reverting  to  the  old-time  Sab- 
bath days,  as  days  of  privilege,  as  well  as  a  time  of  social 
greeting. 

Vividly  she  would  refer  to  the  congregation,  naming 
numbers  of  those  who  were  active  and  conspicuous  in  the 
church,  mostly  persons  living  in  the  vicinity  as  neighbors  and 
familiar  friends;  and  then,  often  with  a  sigh  exclaiming,  "but 
they  are  all  gone,  and  I  am  left  alone!" 

I  recall  with  much  satisfaction  my  visits  to  the  old  farm, 
and  remember  well  her  personal  appearance,  cheerfulness  of 
manner,  and  her  readiness  to  communicate. 

She  departed  this  life  about  i86i,  and  was  interred  in  the 
cemetery  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Norristown.  She 
was  the  aunt  (by  marriage)  of  the  late  Col.  Thomas  P.  Knox, 
of  Norristown. 

Considering  her  advanced  age,  Mrs.  Knox's  memory  was 
excellent.  The  acquaintances  of  her  early  years,  together 
with  certain  scenes  attaching  to  the  old  Norriton  church,  had 
made  a  lasting  impression  upon  her  mind. 

When  quite  a  young  woman,  she  remembered  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Wm.  Tennent,  w^ho  she  described  as  a  fine-looking,  portly 
man,  with  a  pleasant  countenance,  gray  hair,  and  with  man- 
ners always  dignified,  yet  proverbially  cheerful  and  social. 
While  the  older  persons  had  an  intense  admiration  for  the 
minister,  at  the  same  time,  the  young  people  clung  closely 
to  him. 

She  remembered  distinctly  of  his  coming  from  Neshaminy 
to  Abington,  some  twenty  miles,  usually  on  horseback,  and 
preaching  statedly  about  once  a  month,  and  during  the  sum- 
mer oftener.     She  loved  to  describe  the  venerable  and  solemn 


33 

preacher  as  he  stood  in  the  quaint  pulpit,  closely  shut  in, 
speaking  under  the  old  sounding  board. 

In  1 812  the  labors  of  Dr.  Tennent,  including  his  long 
miles  of  travel,  became  too  severe  for  his  endurance,  and  he 
resigned  the  pastorate,  greatly  to  the  regret  of  the  congre- 
gation. 

For  the  two  following  years,  the  church  was  supplied  by 
occasional  preaching  by  neighboring  ministers,  some  of  them 
coming  from  Philadelphia,  until  18 14,  when  Rev.  Joseph  Barr 
was  called,  and  remained  for  three  or  four  years. 

Another  old  lady,  a  Mrs.  Shannon,  far  advanced  in  years, 
yet  with  faculties  unimpaired,  took  delight  in  calling  my  at- 
tention to  the  congregational  singing  in  those  old  days.  It 
was  before  the  professional  singer  was  born,  before  the  quar- 
tette had  any  existence,  and  before  the  pipe  organ  was  granted 
permission  to  sound  in  any  Presbyterian  church. 

William  McGlathery  was  the  excellent  precentor,  or  leader, 
of  the  singing.  He  stood  immediately  in  front  of  the  pulpit, 
facing  the  congregation,  and  who,  being  in  his  prime,  having 
a  good  physique  and  strong,  clear  voice,  carefully  beating  the 
time  with  the  accuracy  of  the  metronome,  he  made  the  welkin 
ring. 

The  old  tunes  of  Norriton  church  were  St.  Martin's,  Duke 
Street,  Wells,  Shirland,  St.  Stephen's,  Arlington,  China,  Peter- 
boro,  Warwick  and  Old  Hundred. 

Mr.  McGlathery  was  also  a  genius  in  his  way.  To  assist 
him  in  leading  the  singing  he  had  invented  and  made  with  his 
own  hands  a  small,  neat,  wooden  mouth  organ,  which,  by 
placing  to  his  lips,  he  could  at  once  obtain  the  pitch  or  proper 
sound.  This  he  carried  with  him  to  the  church  as  carefully 
as  he  did  his  hymn  book,  and  which,  too,  he  found  to  be  help- 
ful in  raising  the  songs  of  Zion.  Robert  Stinson,  John  Mc- 
Crea  and  Joseph  Armstrong,  assisted  in  leading  the  singing. 

I  may  add,  that  I  had  the  pleasure  of  conversing  with 
Wm.  McGlathery  and  some  of  his  family  with  reference  to  the 
Norriton  church  many  years  ago,  when  they  resided  near 
Washington  Square,  northeast  of  Norristown. 


34 

William  McGlathery,  just  referred  to,  was  the  father  of 
Mehelm  McGlathery,  a  worthy  and  respected  citizen  of  Nor- 
ristown.  The  latter  is  still  living,  with  mind  and  memory 
in  healthful  exercise,  genial  and  communicative,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-one  years,  having  been  born  November 
2,  1803. 

It  should  be  mentioned,  that  John  McGlathery  was  among 
the  early  settlers  in  this  county.  He  came  from  Scotland, 
doubtless  with  those  worthies  who  sought  a  refuge  from  per- 
secution, and  brought  with  him  the  established  principles  of 
the  Christian  religion,  as  held  by  Calvinistic  Presbyterians. 
He  was  born  in  1693  and  died  in  1784. 

Isaac  McGlathery,  son  of  John,  became  distinguished  as 
a  lieutenant  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  was  born  in  1749 
and  died  in  1834. 

William,  alluded  to  in  the  above  paragraphs,  was  the  son 
of  Isaac.  He  was  born  in  Norriton  in  1775,  died  in  1850;  and 
had  six  children,  viz.,  Mehelm,  Samuel,  John,  Ann,  Martha 
and  Rachel. 

An  incident  may  be  introduced  here.  During  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  this  old  church  was  used  by  the  soldiers  for 
quarters,  and  later,  in  1777,  for  the  purposes  of  a  hospital.  It 
■was  currently  reported  that  Gen.  Washington,  while  tarrying 
at  the  Peter  Wentz  Inn,  located  on  the  Skippack  road,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1777,  made  one  or  two  visits  to  the  church. 

In  consequence  of  the  damages  that  said  church  suffered 
during  the  war,  the  Assembly  passed  an  act  in  1785,  on  Sep- 
tember 17th,  allowing  a  lottery,  to  raise  money  to  pay  for 
necessary  repairs  to  the  church. 

The  writer  has  also  a  clear  recollection  of  several  con- 
versations with  some  of  the  older  residents  living  near  the 
church,  about  1833  to  1838.  The  grand-parents  of  these  per- 
sons were  the  first  white  settlers  of  Norriton.  They  had  com- 
municated to  their  children  the  fact  of  the  Rev.  Geo.  White- 
field  having  preached  in  the  church  in  1743. 

Thirty  years  before.  Rev.  David  Evans,  and  a  little  later, 
Rev.  William  Tennent,  preached  there;  also,  the  name  of  Rev. 


35 

Richard  Treat  and  Nathaniel  Irwin,  were  familiar  as  among 
the  useful  ministers. 

From  their  own  memories,  going  back  to  1780— '85,  they 
assured  me  that  they  could  distinctly  recall  the  presence  of 
Benjamin  Franklin  in  attendance  at  the  church,  both  before 
and  after  his  return  as  Minister  to  France.  He  was  accom- 
panied each  time  by  the  astronomer,  David  Rittenhouse,  who 
enjoyed  the  friendship  and  companionship  of  Franklin,  as  his 
guest. 

The  grave-yard  was  on  the  extreme  western  corner  of  the 
Rittenhouse  farm.  The  oldest  histories  of  Pennsylvania  ex- 
tant, as  well  as  Watson's  Annals,  briefly  refer  to  this  ancient 
church  and  cemetery. 

The  old  church  property  adjoined,  and  was  once  part  of 
the  Matthias  Rittenhouse  farm.  He  purchased  the  place  in 
1734,  and  evidently  found  the  place  of  worship  already  located 
there,  and  conveyed  the  property  three  years  later,  although 
himself  a  worthy  member  of  the  Mennonite  denomination, 
David  Rittenhouse  was  at  that  time  but  two  years  old,  having 
been  born  in  1732  in  Germantown.  In  1764  Matthias  con- 
veyed to  his  son  David  this  same  farm. 

The  ancient,  time-worn  deed  is  dated  March,  1737,  and 
recites  that  this  property  is  a  part  of  7.482  acres  of  land,  com- 
ing from  William  Penn,  proprietor  and  Governor  of  the  pro- 
vince of  Pennsylvania,  made  to  John  Penn,  Jr.,  which  the 
latter  sold  to  Isaac  Norris  and  William  Trent.  Subsequently, 
Isaac  Norris  became  the  owner,  and  conveyed  about  one  hun- 
dred acres  to  Matthias  Rittenhouse  in  1734. 

The  contract  is  made  between  Matthias  Rittenhouse  and 
Elizabeth,  his  wife,  of  the  township  of  Norrington,  county  of 
Philadelphia,  and  "  ye  said  Presbyterian  Profession  of  ye  town- 
ship, aforesaid,  conveying  seventy-two  poles  of  land"  (giving 
the  boundaries)  "for  a  meeting-house  and  grave-yard  for  ye 
use  of  ye  said  Presbyterian  Profession  of  ye  township  afore- 
said," adding,  "  Now  this  indenture  witnesseth  by  ye  said 
Matthias  Rittenhausen  and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  for  and  in  con- 
sideration of  one  silver  half  crown,  current  money  of  England, 


3^ 

to  them  in  hand  paid  by  ye  said  Presbyterian  Profession,  that 
they  do  hereby  convey  and  confirm,"  etc.,  etc. 

The  probabihty  is,  that  Matthias  Rittenhouse,  having 
found  the  meeting-house  and  old  grave-yard  upon  the  corner 
of  his  farm,  and  having  been  located  there  before  Wm.  Penn's 
purchase,  was  prompted  by  generosity,  as  well  as  honorable 
motives,  to  convey  the  ground  to  "  ye  said  Presbyterian  meet- 
ing-house," as  the  above  deed  defines. 

In  his  boyhood  days,  upon  this  farm  (then  owned  by 
Samuel  Gouldy,  who  purchased  it  in  i8i  i),  the  writer  remem- 
bers what  was  left  of  the  old  frame  observatory,  together  with 
its  foundation  of  stone,  which  had  been  built  and  used  by 
David  Rittenhouse  in  his  astronomical  researches;  and,  also, 
an  English  box-wood  tree,  that  had  been  brought  by  Franklin, 
from  London;  and  was  growing  and  flourishing  near  to  the 
dwelling  house,  on  the  farm  of  his  familiar  friend  Rittenhouse. 

Although  nearly  a  hundred  years  have  passed  since  the 
death  of  David  Rittenhouse,  it  may  be  recorded  truthfully  to- 
day, that  in  scientific  research  and  astronomical  ability,  he  has 
not  been  excelled  since.  And,  while  not  designing  a  bio- 
graphical sketch  of  the  deceased,  the  circumstance  of  his  home 
and  surroundings  being  contiguous  to  che  old  Norriton  church, 
and  the  same  having  been  the  gift  of  his  parents,  will  explain 
the  reason,  for  the  following  additional  paragraphs. 

The  farm  house  is  still  standing  on  the  opposite  corner, 
about  two  hundred  feet  southwest  from  the  church,  where 
Rittenhouse,  at  seventeen  years  of  age,  made  his  first  wooden 
clock.  Here,  also,  he  attempted  his  first  astronomical  observ- 
ations; having  a  superb  view  of  the  heavens,  especially  look- 
ing north  and  south,  from  this  point  of  Fairview.  For  many 
years  this  farm  was  owned  by  Jacob  Harley. 

As  I  remember  this  house,  in  1835,  on  its  west  end  Philip 
Harley  kept  a  country  store.  He  took  delight  in  calling  at- 
tention to  the  above,  and  showed  me  the  identical  second- 
story  front  room,  which  still  retained  some  memorable  marks, 
left  by  Rittenhouse.  Later,  as  I  was  informed,  in  the  same 
house,  he  manufactured  the  first  large  eight-day  clock,  termed 


37 

his  Astronomical  clock  ;  exhibiting  the  changes  of  the  moon, 
with  moving  calendar ;  which  in  these  modern  years  have 
been  sought  after,  simply  known  as  the  David  Rittenhouse 
grandfather  clock. 

The  year  1769  is  memorable  in  the  annals  of  astronomy. 
During  that  year,  his  successful  observations  and  subsequent 
reports,  pertaining  to  the  transit  of  Venus,  made  him  world- 
renowned.  The  same  year  there  was  also  a  transit  of  Mer- 
cury ;  when  along  with  such  names  as  Dr.  Smith,  Lukens, 
Owen  Biddle,  and  others,  he  rendered  his  observations,  which 
were  published  by  the  American  Philosophical  Society;  when 
again,  David  Rittenhouse,  of  Norriton,  equalled  them  all. 

In  1770  he  conceived  the  idea  of  endeavoring  to  report 
by  machinery  the  planetary  system.  The  relative  situations 
of  the  members  of  the  solar  system,  at  any  period  of  time, 
for  five  thousand  years  back,  could  be  shown  in  a  moment. 

This  was  pronounced  a  great  success.  President  John 
Adams  extolled  him.  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Miller,  of  Princeton 
College,  spoke  in  high  praises  concerning  his  invention.  Dr. 
Gordon,  the  English  historian,  said :  "  There  is  not  the  like  in 
Europe."     Dr.  Morse,  the  geographer,  eulogized  him. 

His  friend  Thomas  Jefferson  said :  "  Surpassing  in  in- 
genuity, contrivance,  skill,  accuracy  and  utility,  any  thing  of 
the  kind,  ever  before  constructed.  *  *  *  Hq  ji^g  i-jq|-^  i^_ 
deed,  made  a  world  ;  but  he  has  by  imitation,  approached 
nearer  his  Maker,  than  any  man  who  has  lived,  from  the  Cre- 
ation, to  this  day." 

For  this  wonderful  instrument,  the  Orrery,  two  univer- 
sities vied  with  each  other  to  obtain  it;  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  Princeton  College ;  while  the  former,  Dr. 
Smith,  desired  to  have  it,  yet.  Dr.  Witherspoon,  of  the  latter 
institution,  secured  it  by  the  payment  of  ^300. 

These  facts  lend  interest  to  the  spot,  made  memorable  by 
the  works,  and  inventive  faculty  of  David  Rittenhouse  at 
Norriton  ;  with  the  near  prospect  of  the  old  church,  being 
always  in  sight  from  his  country  home,  and  the  attractive  for- 


38 

est-covered  Mehacton  Hill  (usually  pronounced  Methatchen), 
lying  in  the  near  south-west. 

He  was  born  April  8,1732;  retained  this  place  as  his 
rural  residence,  until  1796,  being  62  years  ;  and  departed  this 
life  in  Philadelphia,  June  26,  1796;  aged  64  years. 

Another  family  name,  more  intimately  associated  with  the 
early  years  of  the  old  Norriton  church,  was  that  of  Arm- 
strong. 

The  writer  is  favored  as  the  recipient  of  an  old  manu- 
script, giving  many  interesting  items. 

The  Armstrong  family  were  of  the  Scotch-Presbyterian 
persuasion.  The  possibility  exists  that  the  elder  Armstrong 
came  over  with  his  family  about  the  time  of  Penn's  landing. 
This  record  has  been  lost.  Joseph  Armstrong,  Sr.,  the  son, 
was  born  in  1686,  died  1766,  aged  80  years.  p:phraim  Arm- 
strong, son  of  Joseph,  was  born  1730,  died  1804.  aged  74 
years.  Joseph  Armstrong,  son  of  Ephraim,  was  born  1762, 
died  1844,  aged  82  years.  Benj.  E.  Armstrong,  son  of  the 
last  named  Joseph,  was  born  1798.  He  removed  to  the  state 
of  Ohio,  from  Pennsylvania,  in  1849,  and  died  there,  about 
1876.  All  the  above  (excepting  only  Benjamin)  together  with 
some  thirty  members  of  the  family,  all  lie  buried  in  the  old 
Norriton  church  ground. 

Ephraim,  inherited  the  old  farm  from  his  father  in  1767  ; 
who  had  settled  upon  the  land,  about  17 10. 

To  incourage  rapid  settlement,  this  land  was  not  sold; 
but  was  let  out  on  perpetual  lease,  at  the  low  price  of  ten 
bushels  of  wheat  per  year,  as  a  consideration  for  each  160 
acres  ;  said  wheat,  to  be  delivered  at  Robison's  mill,  on  the 
Wissahickon,  five  miles  north  of  Philadelphia.  Then,  there 
were  no  surveyed  roads  ;  and  the  delivery  was  by  pack  horses. 
In  18 1 5,  the  lands  were  rehnquished  from  the  leases,  and  a 
fee  simple  deed  issued,  in  its  stead. 

Ephraim  was  father  to  eleven  children  ;  five  sons,  and  six 
daughters.  The  Revolutionary  war  found  him  \\'ith  this 
large  helpless  family. 

He  was  in  comparatively  easy  circumstances ;  but   the 


39 

fortunes  of  war,  during  the  severe  winter  of  1777-8,  palced 
him,  as  it  were,  just  between  the  winter  quarters  of  the  con- 
tending armies. 

Washington's  suffering  and  almost  starving  troops  at 
Valley  Forge,  four  miles  distant,  and  the  British  outposts  be- 
ing only  eight  or  ten  miles  distant  on  the  Philadelphia  side, 
made  him  subject  to  the  frequent  visitation  of  the  enemy's 
marauding  parties,  while  distressed  also, at  the  famishing  wants 
of  the  American  army.  This  state  of  affairs  continued  for 
more  than  six  months  ;  and  the  surrounding  country,  as  a 
consequence,  was  not  only  reduced  to  a  state  of  actual  desti- 
tution, but  many  lacked  even  the  necessary  comforts  of  life. 

But  this  was  not  all.  During  the  horrors  and  desolation 
of  the  war,  in  addition  to  the  trial  of  being  despoiled  of  a 
means  of  subsistence,  Ephraim  was  drafted  in  the  army  which 
Washington  was  recruiting  with  a  view  of  dislodging  the 
British  from  Philadelphia. 

This  was  an  emergency ;  a  condition  of  things  to  try 
one's  soul. 

To  leave  his  family  in  an  unprotected  condition  at  such  a 
time,  was  to  leave  them  to  perish. 

Joseph,  his  first  born  son,  was  then  in  his  sixteenth  year, 
A  recruit,  particularly  as  a  substitute,  was  required  to  be 
eighteen. 

In  this  dilemma,  Joseph,  who  was  of  large  stature  and 
manly  appearance  for  his  age,  resolved  to  use  the  pardonable 
deception  of  passing  himself  for  eighteen  years,  and  taking  the 
place  of  substitute  for  his  father,  in  which  plan  he  succeeded, 
and  thus  entered  the  army. 

He  was  subsequently  in  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  N.  J,; 
which  was  fought  on  the  28th  day  of  June,  1777,  ten  days 
after  the  evacuation  of  Philadelphia.  He  stood  faithfully  to 
his  duty,  in  skirmishes,  and  battles,  throughout  the  war;  and 
to  the  admiration  of  the  officers,  established  his  well  earned 
military  reputation. 

When  peace  was  restored  he  returned  to  his  father's 
faj-m,  where  he  remained  until  he  was  married ;  except  a  period 


40 

of  two  years,  spent  in  the  employ  of  the  Commissioners,  David 
Rittenhouse,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  DeWitt  Clinton,  of  New 
York ;  appointed  to  settle  the  boundary  lines  of  those  two  states. 

Joseph  Armstrong  had  five  sons  and  one  daughter. 
One  son  only,  B.  E.  Armstrong,  survived  him.  He  lived  with 
this  son,  for  the  last  fourteen  years  of  his  life  on  his  farm, 
located  in  Upper  Merion  township,  Montgomery  county;  there 
Joseph  Armstrong  died  in  1844,  aged  82  years. 

His  remains  repose  in  the  Norriton  church  graveyard. 

Returning  to  Ephraim  Armstrong,  father  of  Joseph,  it 
was  said,  that  he  lived  about  twenty-six  years,  after  the  close 
of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  was  held  in  high  repute,  as  one 
of  the  community  in  which  he  dwelt.  He  was  a  strict  Cal- 
vinistic  Presbyterian,  uncompromising  in  his  religious  convic- 
tions, decided  in  his  actions  and  purposes,  yet  thoughtful  and 
charitable  towards  those  who  differed  with  him. 

Withal,  he  was  kind  and  benevolent  at  heart,  as  he  had 
opportunity,  yet  regarded  as  rigid  and  austere  in  the  training 
of  his  family. 

As  was  customary  with  old  men  of  that  time,  he  wore  a 
red  and  white  striped  cap,  manufactured  out  of  silk ;  from  the 
crown  of  which  hung  a  large  tassel. 

He  died  at  the  old  family  homestead,  Norriton,  November 
6,  1804,  aged  74  years.  Much  respected  and  lamented,  he  was 
buried  in  the  old  Norriton  Presbyterian  graveyard. 

To  his  memory  it  may  be  added,  that  he  was  one  of  the 
most  devoted  and  useful  members  of  this  church.  The  writer 
long  years  ago,  listened  to  commendatory  words  from  an  aged 
lady,  who  spoke  of  him,  as  the  faithful  Elder,  always  ready  to 
•extend  the  kindly  smile,  and  the  friendly  grasp  of  the  hand,  at 
the  services  upon  each  recurring  Sabbath.  He  also  contributed 
generously  to  support  the  church,  and  willingly  gave  his  ser- 
vices as  precentor,  or  leader  of  the  singing,  for  many  years. 

The  location  of  the  old  Armstrong  farm,  containing  about 
100  acres,  was  near  the  church,  on  the  southwest  side  of 
Manatawny  road  ;  now,  Germantown  and  Perkiomen  turnpike, 
opposite  to  the  renowned  David  Rittenhouse  farm. 


41 

This  place  was  owned,  1835-45,  by  one  Woodley;  later 
Wanner,  Anderson,  Freas,  Bean,  Miller  and  now  Jos.  Cassel. 

The  Thompson  family  evidently  were  early  associated 
with  the  old  Norriton  church.  Occasionally,  we  find  the  name 
printed  Thomson. 

William  Penn  by  his  deed,  as  the  first  proprietory  of 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  20th  of  April,  1689,  conveyed  to  Major 
Robert  Thompson  10,000  acres  of  land  in  Chester  county,  Pa. ; 
covering  a  large  part  of  Vincent  and  Coventry  townships.  By 
his  will  14th  April,  1691,  he  devised  all  the  said  land  to  his 
son  Joseph  Thompson,  the  son  of  his  son  Joseph,  for  life,  etc. 

It  is  thought  that  some  near  of  kin  (perhaps  a  brother  of 
Major  Thompson)  about  the  same  time  chose  Montgomery 
county  and  Norriton  as  his  future  home.  They  came  from  the 
north  of  Ireland,  and  were  distinctively  old  stock  Presbyterians. 

The  graveyard  gives  evidence  that  of  the  Thompsons 
there  were  several  in  Norriton,  as  residents,  during  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  The  families  of  Archibald,  Samuel,  Robert, 
Joseph,  Moses,  and  again  Archibald,  were  in  their  day  and 
generation  well  known.  Their  farms  were  chiefly  in  Norriton, 
and  perhaps  one  in  Worcester  township.  James  Thompson, 
who  came  from  Ireland,  about  1755,  died  in  Pottstown,  Pa ,  in 
1782,  aged  65  years. 

A  distinguished  citizen  was  the  Hon.  Charles  Thompson. 
He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1730,  came  over  in  1741,  and  lived 
in  Lower  Merion,  where  he  died  in  1824,  aged  96  years.  He 
was  a  strict  Presbyterian,  and  his  remains  were  interred  in  the 
Presbyterian  graveyard,  near  his  residence ;  but  afterwards, 
removed  to  Laurel  Hill  Cemetery,  Philadelphia. 

His  hfe,  and  the  active  part  he  took  in  the  American 
Revolution,  not  only  exhibited  the  manliness  and  courage  of 
the  Irish  character,  but  he  became  conspicuous  in  our  national 
councils ;  having  been  the  Secretary  of  nearly  all  the  sessions 
of  our  Revolutionary  Congress. 

The  following  paragraphs  will  furnish  items  of  much  in- 
terest, referring  to  the  Norris  family,  also  to  one  Archibald 
Thompson. 


42 

The  first  of  the  Norris  family,  distinguished  as  among  the 
early  settlers  of  Pennsylvania,  and  of  whom  any  record  has 
been  preserved,  was  Thomas  Norris,  a  merchant,  of  London, 
England,  who  had  gained  the  Society  of  Friends,  soon  after 
the  rise  of  that  sect. 

He  emigrated  about  1678,  with  his  wife  and  large  family, 
to  the  island  of  Jamaica,  West  Indies  ;  and  perished  in  the  great 
earthquake,  which  destroyed  Port  Royal,  on  the  7th  of  June, 
1692. 

Isaac  Norris  (said  to  have  been  the  ninth  child  of  the 
above  named  Thomas  Norris)  and  founder  of  the  family  in  Penn- 
sylvania, was  born  in  the  city  of  London,  July  26,  167 1,  and 
was  about  seven  years  old,  when  the  family  removed  to  Jamaica. 

In  1690  his  father  sent  him  to  Pennsylvania  by  a  sailing 
vessel,  to  examine  the  country,  preparatory  to  the  family 
settling  there. 

He  returned  to  Jamaica,  to  learn  the  distressing  fact,  that 
his  father  and  many  others  had  perished  in  the  earthquake. 
In  1693  he  came  back  to  Philadelphia  (then  only  about  ten 
years  settled)  with  a  fortune  scarcely  more  than  ^{^lOO,  and 
entered  into  mercantile  business ;  rising  rapidly  to  be  one  of 
the  colony's  wealthiest  and  most  successful  merchants. 

Purchasing,  together  with  Trent,  the  manor  of  Williarns- 
tadt  in  1704,  and  later,  having  renounced  political  distinction,  in 
1709  called  to  a  seat  in  the  Governor's  Council,  171 2  elected 
Speaker  of  the  Assembly,  holding  also  many  conspicuous  offi- 
cial positions,  he  died  suddenly,  while  attending  Friends  meeting 
in  Germantown,  Philadelphia,  June  4,  1735,  in  his  65th  year. 

Charles  Norris,  son  of  the  Councillor,  and  who  married 
Eunice  Gardner,  at  Nantucket,  Mass.,  July  4,  1793,  died  on  the 
farm,  Norris  Hall,  Montgomery  county.  Pa.,  Dec.  24,  181 3. 

He  and  his  wife,  together  with  their  children  and  children's 
children,  arc  interred  in  the  old  family  burial  ground  attached 
to  said  farm. 

This  property  (1894)  is  now  in  possession  of  John  Schrack, 
son  of  the  late  Charles  Norris  Schrack,  and  great-grandson  of 
the  last  named  Charles  Norris. 


43 

John  Schrack,  Sr.,  born  in  Upper  Providence,  November 
10,1787,  and  who  died,  July  21,  1872,  married  Mary,  daughter 
of  Charles  Norris  last  named  ;  and  who  was  a  lineal  descendant 
of  the  family  named  Norris,  after  whom  both  Norriton  town- 
ship and  Norristown  are  named. 

The  old  farm,  with  continental  stone  buildings,  about  lOO 
years  old  (which  stands  in  the  place  of  the  log  house  of  two 
centuries  ago)  has  long  been  known  as  "  Norris  Hall ; "  and 
is  a  part  of  the  patrimonial  estate,  which  comprised  several 
hundred  acres  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill  river,  south 
of  Jeffersonville,  and  extending  to  Port  Kennedy. 

In  bygone  years,  conversing  at  sundry  times  with  John 
Schrack,  Sr.,  and  his  sons  David,  Charles  Norris,  and  John 
Schrack,  Jr.,  M.  D.,  many  interesting  items  were  recited,  re- 
ferring to  the  days  long  gone  by. 

A  little  north  of  the  land  mentioned  above,  about  1730, 
and  orignally  owned  by  them,  was  a  tract,  also,  called  "  the 
Norris  farm." 

In  1758,  this  Norris  farm  house,  a  roomy  house,  built  of 
stone,  had  been  converted  into  a  tavern.  It  was  leased  subse- 
quently to  different  tenants,  and  became  a  convenient  stopping 
place  for  the  increasing  travel  on  the  main  road  to  Reading. 
It  stood  at  a  point  of  land,  being  the  junction  of  the  old  Egypt 
and  Ridge  roads,  and  for  a  time  was  commonly  called  the 
Egypt  Inn.  In  later  years,  it  was  called  the  Jeffersonville 
tavern  ;  by  which  name  it  is  known,  up  to  this  writing.  As  a 
traditional  item,  it  was  currently  reported,  that  a  District 
Court  was  held  here,  and  a  secure  lockup  was  built  in  the 
basement  for  temporary  convicts  ;  the  remaining  cell  walls  of 
which  were  to  be  seen  there  in  later  years. 

In  1766  Archibald  Thompson  was  the  landlord  ;  and  in  his 
day  was  respected  for  his  accommodating  spirit  as  well  as  his 
family  antecedents. 

In  1776  said  Thompson  was  assessed  for  eighty  acres  of 
land.  This  was  during  the  exciting  period  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war ;  but  he  continued  as  the  owner  and  host  of  this  public 
house,  while  at  the  same  time  he  was  on  duty  as  an  esteemed 


44 

Colonel,  in  the  patriotic  army,  assisting  most  devotedly  in  de- 
fending American  principles. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1779,  Archibald  Thompson  died. 
He  was  comparatively  a  young  man,  and  formerly  of  a  strong 
physical  frame;  but  his  arduous  and  earnest  personal  efforts, 
during  the  war,  were  often  days  of  danger,  exposure,  and 
sacrifice ;  and  it  was  thought  these  things  possibly  hastened 
his  death. 

His  lineage  was  of  Presbyterian  Scotch-Irish  stock  ;  and 
probably  he  was  the  son  of  Archibald  Thompson,  Sr.,  who 
died  in  1745  ;  they  both  lie  buried  in  the  old  Norriton  Presby- 
terian church  ground. 

After  1779  Archibald  Thompson's  widow,  Hannah,  con- 
tinued to  keep  the  Egypt  Inn  (now  Jeffersonville)  for  a  num- 
ber of  years ;  for  in  1784  she  is  still  recognized  as  the  pro- 
prietor. 

Returning  for  a  moment  to  "  war  times,"  one  beautiful 
autumn  day,  September  7,  1777,  a  company  of  British  soldiers 
appeared,  and  without  any  notice,  yet  with  the  display  of 
huzzas  and  apparent  malice,  they  deliberately  set  fire  to  the 
property,  and  burned  the  hotel  and  its  contents,  leaving  only 
the  blackened  stone  walls.  As  a  miserable  and  most  unsatis- 
factory plea,  it  had  been  reported  that  a  certain  noted  rebel 
was  interested  in  the  ownership  of  the  property. 

As  a  result  of  this  disaster,  in  after  years,  the  widow, 
Hannah  Thompson,  received  £'&'jo  from  the  State,  as  com- 
pensation for  her  loss. 

A  public  vendue  was  extensively  advertised  to  take  place, 
at  Archibald  Thompson's  Hotel,  in  February,  1777.  It  is  not 
known  with  certainty  whether  at  that  time  any  sale  took 
place.  But  the  following  September  17th  the  whole  planta- 
tion, consisting  of  five  hundred  and  forty-three  acres,  includ- 
ing and  reaching  southward  from  the  tavern  property  just 
named,  all  the  way  to  the  site  of  the  present  Norristown,  was 
sold  by  Charles  Norris  to  John  Bull.  The  latter  was  formerly 
a  native  of  Providence  township,  having  near  family  connec- 
tions in  Chester  county. 


45 

He  was  likewise  a  colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  army; 
had  been  a  justice-of-the-peace;  and  was  considered  in  his 
day  a  brainy,  intelligent  man,  of  marked  executive  ability. 
Benjamin  Thompson  was  doubtless  his  only  son,  who  died 
April  6,  1 829,  aged  fifty-three  years.  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  also 
died  in  Norristown,  December  28,  1878,  aged  a  hundred  and 
two  years,  one  month  and  fourteen  days. 

In  1779  Colonel  Bull  sold  the  plantation  to  Dr.  William 
Smith,  Provost  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  for  ^6,000. 

Soon  after.  Colonel  Bull  removed  from  Pennsylvania,  and 
purchased  lands  in  Berkely  county,  Virginia.  He  lived  there 
with  his  family  for  a  number  of  years;  and  report  has  since 
confirmed  the  statement  that  he  died  there. 

The  fact  is  well  known,  that  Montgomery  county  was 
erected  in  1784,  out  of  Philadelphia  county.  William  Moore 
Smith,  son  of  Dr.  Smith,  had  a  town  site  laid  out  on  part  of 
this  plantation  in  1785;  and  later,  public  buildings  were 
erected.  The  growth,  and  subsequent  history  of  Norristown, 
reveals  the  excellent  judgment  and  forecast  of  Dr.  Smith. 

It  seems  relevant  to  our  narrative,  to  relate  some  items 
pertaining  to  others,  who  were  early  interested  in  the  Norriton 
church.     Of  such  were  the  Knox  family. 

David  Knox,  was  born  in  County  Antrim,  Ireland,  1700; 
and  died  1780.  He  emigrated  in  1732;  and  settled  on  a  farm, 
located  on  the  township  line,  west  of  Washington  Square,  in 
Whitpain  township.  This  farm  remained  in  possession  of  the 
Knox  family,  until  1862,  one  hundred  and  thirty  years.  Cap- 
tain Andrew  Knox,  son  of  David,  was  born  in  County  Antrim, 
as  above,  1728,  emigrated  1732,  and  died  in  1807.  Andrew 
Knox,  the  second,  was  born  August  13,  1773,  died  October  3, 
1844.  He  had  two  sons,  Thomas  P.  Knox  and  Andrew 
Jackson  Knox,  now  both  deceased.  The  former  resided  in 
Norriton,  the  latter  in  Plymouth  township. 

About  the  same  time  John  McCrea  settled  in  Norriton, 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  southeast  of  the  church,  on  the  turn- 
pike. Adjoining  this,  north,  he  also  had  a  farm.  He  died 
March  3,  1823.     On  the  first,  for  many  years  afterward,  Fran- 


46 

cis  Burnside  resided.  The  place  is  now  owned  by  Albert 
Pawling.  On  the  second  farm,  many  years  ago,  was  a  pot- 
tery; and  Joseph  McCrea  lived  thereon.  Some  of  the  family 
settled  in  Norristown;  a  son,  named  William  H.  McCrea, 
Hved  in  Philadelphia,  as  did  his  aged  mother,  Catharine  Mc- 
Crea, who  died  in  Philadelphia,  September  5,  1856.  They  lie 
buried  at  Norriton  grave-yard. 

About  1798,  when  strife  and  turbulence  prevailed  in  Ire- 
land, John  Patterson  came  to  this  country  in  the  same  ship 
with  Robert  Hamill,  and  together  settled  for  a  while  in  Nor- 
ristown. They  alike  came  from  County  Antrim,  Province  of 
Ulster,  North  Ireland.  They  were  each  descended  from  gen- 
uine Presbyterian  parentage,  having  an  excellent  family  record, 
and  lived  useful  lives.  The  two  united  in  a  business  partner- 
ship for  two  or  three  years  in  Norristown.  After  that,  Mr, 
Patterson  removed  to  Philadelphia.  The  writer,  as  a  school- 
boy, remembers  him  very  well.  His  place  of  business,  as  a 
wholesale  grocer,  was  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Fourth  and 
Race  streets ;  and  also,  recalls  his  regular  attendance  at  the 
services  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  which  stood,  in 
1835,  ^t  northwest  corner  of  Third  and  Arch  streets.  John 
Patterson  married  the  daughter  of  Colonel  Christopher  Stuart, 
of  Norriton ;  and  Robert  Hamill  married  the  daughter  of  Col- 
onel Andrew  Todd,  of  the  Trappe,  Upper  Providence.  Col- 
onel Todd  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  John  Patterson 
died  in  Philadelphia,  August  20,  1850,  in  the  eighty-second 
year  of  his  age. 

Joseph  Patterson  was  the  eldest  son,  long  well-known 
and  highly  esteerried  in  Philadelphia,  where  for  years  he  was 
the  competent  and  much  respected  cashier  of  the  Western 
Bank  of  that  city.  His  residence  was  at  Chestnut  Hill.  Our 
school-days  recall  ^pleasant  memories  of  another  son  and 
brother  of  Joseph,  viz.,  Henry  Stuart  Patterson,  who  became 
a  successful  physician  in  Philadelphia.  He  died  comparatively 
young,  and  was  buried  in  the  Norriton  grave-yard;  but  some 
years  afterwards  his  remains  were  removed  and  interred  in 
Laurel  Hill  Cemetery,  Philadelphia. 


47 

About  i720-'30,  much  earlier  than  those  preceding,  one 
Robert  Porter,  emigrated  from  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  set- 
tled in  Worcester  township,  near  the  Norriton  line. 

General  Andrew  Porter  was  his  son,  born  in  1743.  On 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war  he  offered  his  ser- 
vices to  Congress,  received  a  commission  as  Captain  of  Ma- 
rines, and  was  later  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Trenton,  Prince- 
ton and  Brandywine. 

At  the  dreary,  suffering  encampment  at  Valley  Forge, 
during  the  winter  of  i777-'8,  he  was  major  of  a  regiment  of 
artillery.  Several  of  his  sons  became  distinguished;  David 
R.  Porter,  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  General  James  M. 
Porter,  a  member  of  the  Assembly,  and  Secretary  of  War, 
under  President  Tyler. 

Judge  Thomas  Burnside,  afterwards  of  Centre  county, 
and  Francis  Burnside,  of  Norriton  township,  were  sons  of 
William,  who  came  from  Scotland,  about  i78o-'90,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  near  Fairview,  in  Lower  Providence  township.  He 
adhered  to  the  old  continental  costume  of  looped-up  hat, 
straight  coat,  buckskin  breeches,  with  long  stockings,  and 
large  silver  shoe  buckles.  At  Judge  Burnside's  residence,  in 
Bellefonte,  Centre  county,  the  writer  spent  many  pleasant 
visits,  in  1842-3.  While  at  times,  brusk  and  outspoken,  he 
was  remarkably  penetrating,  and  as  a  conversationalist,  ex- 
ceedingly entertaining.  Governor  David  R.  Porter,  in  1 841, 
appointed  him  judge  of  Montgomery  county,  and  by  the  same 
governor,  in  1845,  he  was  set  apart  to  the  bench  of  the  Su- 
preme Court. 

The  writer  is  in  possession  of  a  manuscript,  giving  a  par- 
tial genealogical  history  of  Daniel  Evans,  who  married  Elea- 
nor, daughter  of  David  Rittenhouse. 

Daniel  Evans,  was  among  the  first  settlers  in  Norriton, 
after  the  Penn  grant.  While  of  Quaker  proclivity,  and  a  model 
man,  yet  Evans  was  not  of  the  strictest  of  the  sect;  exhibiting 
much  liberality  and  charity,  as  to  his  religious  opinions. 

The  writer  has  also  a  number  of  interesting  items  con- 
cerning John  Baker  and  his  descendants.      He  was  an  ingeni- 


48 

ous  worker  in  iron,  steel,  and  other  metals,  and  was  a  resident 
of  Lower  Providence  township.  His  farm  lay  adjacent  to 
that  of  Ephraim  Armstrong,  previously  referred  to;  although 
in  a  different  township;  both  bounded  on  the  same  line,  about 
a  mile  apart.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Germany;  and  a 
very  early  settler  in  this  vicinity. 

During  the  Revolutionary  war,  Mr.  Baker  rendered  very 
efficient  aid  to  the  Whig  cause,  by  his  handicraft,  in  the  work 
of  making  and  repairing  suitable  fire-arms.  Mr.  Baker  lived 
to  a  great  old  age ;  being  nearly  a  centenarian ;  and  died 
about  1820.  His  wife  was  a  Roberts  of  Welsh  extraction, 
whose  parents  resided  in  the  neighborhood. 

Their  children  were  Samuel,  John,  Arnold,  Catherine, 
Mary,  Hannah,  Rebecca  and  Elizabeth. 

Arnold  died  at  the  old  homestead  on  the  Germantown  and 
Perkiomen  turnpike,  near  the  present  Hartranft  station,  Stony 
Creek  railroad,  about  1858. 

Justly  and  deservedly  (did  our  space  allow),  we  might 
also  refer  to  Colonel  Christopher  Stuart,  Dr.  James  McFarland, 
Abraham  Lefevre,  Dr.  Robert  Shannon,  Andrew  Supplee, 
Archibald  Darrah  and  others,  all  of  Norriton,  and  among  the 
early  settlers. 

Following  in  later  years  were  the  Hamills,  Stinsons,  Mc- 
Ewens,  Keysers,  Craigs,  Shearers,  Gettys,  Heisers,  Taneys, 
McHargs,  Bosserts,  Powels,  Snyders,  and  other  names,  rep- 
resenting reputable  families,  of  whom  the  present  generation 
give  abundant  evidence  of  their  honorable  lineage  and  useful- 
ness as  worthy  citizens. 

"  What  a  changing  world  is  this, 

Void  of  all  substantial  bliss  ; 

All  we  see  beneath  the  sun, 

In  successive  changes  run  ; 

But,  our  Jesus,  proves  the  same; 

Endless  blessings  on  His  name." 

A  final  reference  to  the  old  Norriton  church  is  made  in 
the  following  paragraph.  In  1893,  quite  extensive,  yet  need- 
ful repairs  were  again  made  to  the  building.  A  new  shingle 
roof,  new  floor,  new  ceiling  and  some  new  pieces  of  furniture, 


49 

were  added,  making  substantial  improvements  for  a  generation 
to  come.  Beside,  the  stone  walls  of  the  house  as  well  as  the 
walls  of  the  burial  ground,  were  pointed  and  put  in  good  con- 
dition. The  cost  was  1^301.68  ;  contributed  willingly  by  friends 
of  the  institution. 

Occasional  religious  services  are  held  by  Rev.  C.  R. 
Brodhead,  and  a  summer  Sabbath  School  convenes,  having 
about  one  hundred  scholars. 

As  it  has  been  necessary  to  refer  largely  to  the  Provi- 
dence church  in  this  paper,  the  narrative  would  not  be  com- 
plete without  furnishing  a  brief  history  of  the  Jeffersonville 
church,  which  was  directly  an  outgrowth  of  the  former. 

The  old  Norriton,  Providence  and  Jeffersonville  churches 
were  located  within  about  two  miles  of  each  other,  and  while 
it  is  true  that  nearly  all  the  Presbyterian  churches  of  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  have  legitimately  decended  from  the  old  Norriton, 
yet,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  this  trio  of  churches  bears  a  close  re- 
lationship to  each  other. 

Immediately  following  the  unfortunate  division,  which  oc- 
curred in  the  Presbyterian  body  in  1837,  the  rural  churches 
soon  partook  of  the  spirit  manifested  by  the  city  congrega- 
tions ;  some  taking  sides  with  the  Old  School,  while  others 
leaned  towards  the  New  School  parties. 

At  once  the  Presbyteries  were  known  as  "New"  and 
'  Old  School,"  in  their  tenets,  theology  and  teachings. 

A  strange  coincidence  may  be  mentioned,  that  it  was 
about  one  hundred  years  since  a  similar  and  most  memorable 
division  crept  in,  and  separated  the  Norriton  and  Providence 
congregations. 

Now,  the  division  takes  place  in  the  Providence  church. 
For  several  years  strife,  complainings,  bickerings  and  bitter- 
ness fanned  the  embers  of  suspicion  and  dislike,  lurking  in  the 
minds  of  the  membership,  until  April,  1843  ;  when  the  hidden 
fires  broke  out  into  a  conflagration,  and  the  eruption  was 
heralded  abroad.  Persistently  a  division  was  called  for.  Rev. 
Sylvan  us  Haight  was  the  pastor  at  the  time.  A  man  in  the 
prime  of  life,  of  good  attainments  as  a  scholar,  and  of  excellent 


50 

repute  as  a  minister,  he  used  all  reasonable  means  to  re-estab- 
lish peace  and  good  will,  but  failed.  The  predilections  of  Rev. 
Haight  favored  the  New  School  system ;  in  company  with 
such  distinguished  men  as  Revs.  Albert  Barnes,  Ezra  Stiles 
Ely,  Anson  Rood,  Adair,  Brown,  Emerson,  John  Patton,  Joel 
Parker  and  others ;  and  indeed  for  two  or  three  years  preced- 
ing, many  who  were  prominent  in  the  congregation  accepted 
the  New  School  theology.  Later,  however,  the  majority  of 
the  Providence  congregation  decided  peremptorily  to  adhere 
to  the  Old  School  Presbytery,  which  at  once  instigated  a  sep- 
aration of  friends  and  kindred,  resulting  in  the  founding  of  the 
Jeffersonville  church,  whose  membership  allied  themselves 
with  the  Third  (New  School)  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia. 

In  October,  1843,  the  Jeffersonville  Presbyterian  church 
was  organized,  comprising  in  its  membership  those  who  had 
w^ithdrawn  from  the  Lower  Providence  church.  Li  1844,  the 
year  following,  a  stone  building,  rough  cast  36  by  54  feet,  was 
erected,  having  a  basement  Sunday  School  room.  Rev.  Charles 
F.  Diver  was  the  first  pastor.  It  stood  on  an  ineligible  place 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Ridge  turnpike  on  a  flat,  wet  piece  of 
ground,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  west  of  the  village.  It 
was  regarded  as  an  unfavorable,  isolated  situation,  aad,  be- 
coming somewhat  dilapitated,  was  taken  down  in  June,  1875-. 
In  the  autumn  of  1874  a  new  location  for  a  new  church  was 
sought  for,  and  prudently  selected  in  the  centre  of  the  village, 
and  by  a  unanimous  vote  of  the  congregation,  May  17,  1875, 
the  name  of  the  congregation  was  changed  to  the  "  Centennial 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  Jeffersonville,  Pa.,"  and  a  charter  ac- 
cordingly obtained.  The  eligible  lot  on  which  the  church  is 
built,  was  purchased  from  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Custer  on 
very  favorable  terms. 

The  entire  beautiful  plot  of  ground  on  which  the  church 
building  stands,  including  also  the  cemetery  lot,  comprises 
about  three  acres.  This,  in  addition  to  other  beneficent  gifts, 
was  donated  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Whiting,  of  Jeffersonville. 

On  the  1st  day  of  June,  1875,  ground  was  broken  for  the 
foundation  of  the  building.      On  July  3d  the  corner-stone  was 


CENTENNIAL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 
JEFFERSONVTLLE. 


51 

laid,  and  on  the  following  day,  July  4th,  Sunday  afternoon, 
suitable  religious  services  were  held  recognizing  the  event. 

On  Sunday,  January  2,  1876,  the  chapel  was  formally 
dedicated  to  the  service  of  Almighty  God.  The  pastor.  Rev. 
Charles  ColHns,  who  began  his  work  in  said  church,  Novem- 
ber, 1866,  preached  a  dedicatory  sermon  from  Psalm  122,  first 
verse. 

The  new  church  building  is  of  gray  sand-stone,  pointed 
work,  gothic  style,  50  by  no  feet,  having  a  stone  tower  70 
feet  in  height,  with  handsome  spire  reaching  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet,  and  cost  about  ^25,000,  being  free  of  debt. 

In  point  of  location,  it  is  unexcelled,  and  in  beauty  of 
architecture,  as  well  as  furniture  and  all  the  modern  appoint- 
ments, it  is  not  surpassed  in  the  county. 

The  church  was  finally  opened  and  dedicated  October  4th, 
1876;  three  large  congregation  being  in  attendance  morning, 
afternoon  and  evening. 

The  building  was  erected  under  the  supervision  of  the 
pastor.  Rev.  Charles  Collins,  who  would  render  a  grateful 
testimony  to  the  helpful  services  of  James  Shaw,  David  Schrack, 
M.  D.,  Francis  Whiting  and  others. 

The  inquiry  has  been  made,  why  was  the  name  of  the 
corporation  changed?  We  answer,  primarily,  because  the 
building  was  chiefly  erected  during  the  Centennial  year.  But, 
there  are  historical  reasons  for  the  name. 

In  the  beginning  of  December,  1777,  General  Howe  sur- 
prised the  American  camp  at  Whitemarsh,  Montgomery 
county. 

The  following  day,  that  part  of  the  army  under  General 
Washington,  started  to  march  toward  Valley  Forge,  and  owing 
to  the  severity  of  the  weather,  were  seriously  delayed  ;  a  por- 
tion of  them  tarrying  on  this  very  ground,  at  the  time  being 
wood-land. 

Others  took  shelter  in  the  ancient  stone  house,  occupying 
the  site  of  the  Jeffersonville  Inn,  while  others,  of  a  division 
which  had  been  hindered  and  exhausted  (some  of  whom  were 
suffering  and  sick),  were  quartered  in  the  old  Norriton  church. 


52 

Tradition  has  it  that  some  of  the  soldiers  died  at  both  places 
named. 

On  the  I  ith  of  December,  1777,  Washington  finally  went 
into  winter  quarters  at  Valley  Forge.  History  records  the 
fact  that  the  condition,  as  well  as  the  prolonged  sufferings  of 
many  of  the  soldiers,  was  simply  indescribable. 

On  the  march  from  Whitemarsh  many  were  without 
shoes,  their  feet  being  bare  on  the  hard  frozen  ground,  and 
therefore  were  severely  cut  and  bruised. 

Upon  the  very  spot  where  the  new  church  was  built, 
while  digging  up  the  earth  in  1875,  at  depth  of  about  two  feet, 
some  laborers  were  surprised  by  finding  a  coin  of  Spanish 
silver  money,  bearing  date  1774,  and  which  was  probably  lost 
by  some  one  of  the  Revolutionaiy  soldiers,  while  tenting  there, 
one  hundred  years  before. 

Among  other  relics,  this  pieces  of  money  was  deposited 
in  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  building. 

Digressing  for  a  moment,  it  is  worthy  of  note,  as  a  pub- 
hshed  fact,  that  on  October  14, 1894,  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the  First  Christ  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Hempstead,  Long  Island,  was  celebrated  in  an 
appropriate  manner.  This  confirms  that  Presbyterianism  had 
come  with  the  pioneers,  as  early  as  1644. 

In  concluding  this  history,  which  has  been  of  intense 
interest  to  myself,  it  is  probable  that  some  imperfections  and 
errors  may  be  discovered. 

It  is  no  easy  task,  at  this  late  day,  to  obtain  the  desired 
information;  neither  is  it  a  trivial  work,  to  arrange  system- 
atically, and  narrate  the  incidents,  of  which  so  many  have 
'largely  sunk  into  oblivion.  But,  my  thought  has  been,  that 
in  future  years  it  may  prove  useful  and  valuable,  by  exhibiting 
the  traits  of  religious  character,  as  well  as  the  fidelity  and 
integrity  of  our  forefathers;  and  we  shall  hope,  too,  that  it 
may  awaken  a  zeal,  and  stimulate  others,  to  grasp  any  and 
every  opportunity  to  note  the  passing  events,  and  record  the 
same,  for  the  benefit  of  coming  generations. 


53 

Some  may  be  disposed  to  criticise  the  noticeable  feature — 
that  so  much  of  this  narrative  has  been  interspersed  with 
correlative  statements,  pertaining  to  the  first  emigrants  and 
early  settlers,  not  directly  pertinent  to  the  old  Norriton  church ; 
but  it  will  be  granted  that  all  this  is  valuable,  and  will  com- 
pensate the  reader,  because  it  furnishes  a  compilation  of  tradi- 
tional and  historical  facts,  calculated  to  confirm  the  premises 
we  have  taken,  as  to  the  Holland  settlers,  and  the  antiquity  of 
the  Norriton  place  of  worship. 

As  intimated  in  the  opening  page,  that  although  my 
attention  was  turned  to  this  old  church  almost  sixty  years 
ago,  yet,  I  desire  to  add,  that  the  leading  items  on  the  Norriton 
church  herewith  published,  are  largely  extracts,  traditional 
and  historical,  from  three  discourses  which  the  writer  dehvered 
in  the  Centennial  Church  of  Jeffersonville,  in  July,  1876. 

Reviewing  the  preceding  pages,  at  least  two  valuable 
lessons  may  be  learned.  First:  Thatinevery  age  of  the  world's 
history,  the  true  people  of  God  have  their  trials.  No  circum- 
stances will  exempt  them.  Tribulations,  in  some  form,  seem 
to  be  the  appointed  lot  of  man ;  and,  therefore,  there  are  times 
when  neither  wealth,  eminence,  nor  education  can  purchase 
deliverance. 

Hence,  our  fathers  had  their  perplexities.  To  them,  oft- 
times,  these  things  proved  blessings.  Trials  made  them 
heroic,  enduring  soldiers.  They  persevered,  they  conquered! 
They  grew  to  be  stalwart  men,  ready  for  any  emergency. 

As  a  result  of  their  faith,  their  hardships  and  endurance, 
they  have  left  us  a  rich  legacy  of  Christian  character,  in  testi- 
mony of  their  trust. 

The  second  lesson  is,  that  strifes  and  contentions  are 
always  unprofitable;  but  especially  among  Christians. 

The  result  of  the  first  great  dissension  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  alluded  to  in  these  pages,  occurred  in  1740,  and  lasted 
until  1758 ;  for  seventeen  years.  But  really  it  was  not  entirely 
subdued  until  1788,  or  nearly  half  a  century. 

Who  can  imagine  the  heart-burnings,  the  bitterness,  the 


54 

separations  of  relatives  and  friends,  and  the  lasting  dishonor 
to  the  household  of  faith,  and  the  cause  of  religion. 

The  results  of  the  later  division  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  1837,  extended  through  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century,  before  a  reconciliation  took  place.  What  a  dreary 
retrospect  these  statements  bring  before  the  memory ! 

Finally,  reverting  for  a  moment  to  the  old  Norriton 
church,  and  in  imagination  fixing  our  eye  thereon,  how 
changed  the  scene! 

Long,  long  ago,  the  old  gray-haired  preacher's  voice  has 
ceased;  the  old  hymns  and  psalms  of  praise  have  ended;  the 
old  elders,  John  McCrea  and  Stephen  Porter,  and  others, 
have  left  the  earth;  the  voices  of  the  worshipping  congrega- 
tion are  all  hushed  in  silence! 

The  curious  old  pulpit,  and  quaint,  high-back  pews,  have 
been  removed.  And  in  these  later  years,  the  surrounding 
forests  have  fallen  beneath  the  woodman's  axe;  the  old  cedar 
trees  have  greatly  diminished  in  number;  the  grand  old 
English  Lombardy  poplars,  once  so  tall  and  thrifty,  lining  the 
opposite  side  of  the  road,  have  all  decayed,  and  are  gone ! 

But,  the  old  stone  meeting  house,  stands,  as  it  were, 
alone,  and  isolated;  yet  a  fitting  monument  of  the  fathers; 
and  the  old  grave-yard,  the  quiet  resting  place  of  the  dead, 
even  though  many  of  the  earlier  memorial  stones  are  obliter- 
ated or  entirely  gone,  seem  to  whisper  to  the  pilgrim  traveler, 
that  upon  all  things  here,  it  is  written,  "passing  away!  i^ass- 
ing  away !" 

Time  7uas,  is  past;    thou  canst  not  it  recall ; 
Time  is,  thou  hast ;  employ  the  portion  small ; 
Time //</«;'!?,  is  not;  and  may  never  be  ; 
Time  present,  is  the  only  time  for  thee ! 

Fhiladelphia,  November  i,  iSg^. 


'9  1    >r  5T  a 


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NEWS  Csratfi 


-»>»»♦  ♦M»»». 


HISTORIC  CHURCH 
DAMAGED  BY  FIRE 

Blaze  from  a  Defective  Flue  De- 
stroys the  Interior  of  the  An- 
cient Presbyterian  House  of 
Worship  at  Norriton. 


N 


Special  Despatch  to  ''The  Press." 
Norristown,   Pa.,  Nov.  1.— The  old  his- 


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